We had another fun day at the Special Olympics Track & Field meet today. The sun was shining, the kids were smiling, and my little Toodle Bug emerged victorious once again. Yes, my friends, yet another blue ribbon to add to her growing collection. She also snagged a red (second place) ribbon but that was intentional (you, know, just to be clear and not because I care or anything).
In an extremely uncharacteristic move by yours truly, I made sure Ellie took a dive on the second race in order to let the other little girl win. And I actually felt good about it. Who knew losing could still feel like winning?
We did hit one small snag that really tested the strength of my resolve to be a good sport this year.
When the ribbons for the races were handed out, Tessie was mistakenly given two second place ribbons instead of one first place and one second place. I squirmed uncomfortably in the knowledge that Tessie was robbed but didn't want to repeat last year's performance of making a total arse of myself so I, very stoically I might add, stayed mum.
Well, I might have whined a bit to Charlie, Ellie and Sheila about it and the person in charge of the little boy who mistakenly got Tessie's ribbon had also noticed the error (as he had come in third) and asked me if I wanted to switch out the ribbons.
It was an Olympic scandal of gargantuan proportions, let me tell you! You'll probably be reading about it tomorrow in the NY Times or Washington Post...or maybe just here.
At any rate, I sucked up my my evil, take no prisoners, I need to win at all cost, attitude and told the nice lady that of course I would want him to keep the blue ribbon. Tess was fine with the, gulp, second place one. I might have broken out in a sweat at this point but even I couldn't stoop to ripping a ribbon off of a little boy's neck who was happily playing with it while sitting in his wheelchair.
Charlie informed me it was Karma coming back at me, or maybe they had remembered my horrible performance from last year's event and wanted to make sure I knew what it felt like to lose. Oh wait, I'm sorry, I meant, come in second. I assured him I was fine with this unexpected, and might I add undeserved, turn of events.
We went off to cheer on another kid from our school. Because I am a good person and no, it was not driving me absolutely bonkers that Tess did not have a blue ribbon around her little neck. Not at all. Even though she had won it fair and square. No big deal. Even if she was cheated. Whatever.
But Ellie, my sweet Ellie Belle, was pissed! Ellie, who always tries to avoid any kind of drama and confrontation was simply not going to stand for this injustice that had been done to her baby sister! She just could not wrap her brain around me not making an issue of it and insuring Tess got the ribbon she deserved.
So after huffing and puffing about it for a while and saying that next year she and Tessie would be leaving everyone in the dust, none of this taking a dive crap, she grabbed that second place ribbon and pointedly marched off to the awards tent.
Oh my.
Ten minutes later a beaming Ellie appeared out from around the tent and ceremoniously whipped the now, BLUE, ribbon onto Tessie's neck. And Tess beamed up at Ellie as if to say, "Thank you for understanding that I deserved this."
Of course, I was fine with the second place ribbon. Totally A-okay with it. One hundred percent happy and secure in the knowledge that we did not need the blue ribbon to know we had won. I just couldn't figure out where Ellie got that competitive spirit from.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
love it, Love It, LOVE IT!
ReplyDelete