One-legged Skateboard Begging in Traffic

A couple of people are upset with me for being grumpy about the Olympics, and a very dear person is worried that I'm depressed.

The Olympics highlights the differences between rich nations and poor nations. Also, the competition promotes nationalism. In 1936, the Olympics were the showcase event for the great German nation and race. Look what happened three years later. Now they're the showcase event for the great Chinese nation and race and everybody thinks it's fantastic.

Still, I enjoy watching. I love the emotion. I always cheer for the little guy, so I was delighted when Togo won a medal in kayak-slalom, and I'm a fan of the pink-haired boxer from Mauritius, Bruno Julie.

But I don't participate when Poo indoctrinates Jason to cheer "Thailand, fight, fight," or when Thun cheers the USA. Unless it's men's basketball.

I'm not depressed. But one can only enjoy so much of this absurdity of a life spent hogging the food you hate most.

For example, now I go to the gym every day. Why? Because I feel better when I'm fit and the doctors say that exercise is good for me.

On the treadmill I look out at the giant Asok intersection, where I have seen two fatalities with my own eyes. There is a one-legged beggar who works the four lanes approaching the stoplight. His stump, severed at the thigh, is attached to a skateboard. The top of his head is just below window level, so the motorists can't see him until they are stopped and he reaches up to tap on the window and beg for his sustenance.

How does he feel?

What would the doctors say about that?

He is very skilful on the skateboard and he twists his good leg into amazing positions. Maybe we need an Olympic event: One-legged Skateboard Begging in Traffic. If he won the gold, maybe he would feel better. But he won't win the gold because the Chinese and Americans will use money, technology, steroids and surgery to create somebody better.

So he's stuck with the bronze. Maybe he will throw it away, like the Swedish wrestler.