I chatted with an Olympian earlier today (Tuesday). FWIW, I’d much rather converse with an Olympian than a Hollywood celebrity, and I got lucky today.
Whilst shopping in my local Neighborhood Market (green-signed Walmart’s) earlier today (Tuesday), I spotted this nice and very athletic-looking woman. She was wearing tights and a form-fitting, long-sleeved shirt. As I got closer, I could see on the back of her top it said something about the Olympic Team. The print wasn’t real big, and I didn’t wanna stand right behind her attempting to make out what it said (I wasn’t wearing my reading glasses). She was the opposite of frail-looking, so I didn’t want to agitate her.
I live less than a mile from the nation’s flagship Olympic Training Center (and less than 1.3 miles from the Olympic Committee’s Headquarters), so I figured she may actually be an Olympian, so I just asked her - as it turned-out, she was. She smiled at first, and then a slight frown when she informed me she was only an alternate. I asked for conformation that she wouldn’t compete unless the primary was unable to, and she confirmed that. But I added, “You still get to go to Rio in case you’re needed, right?” She acknowledged that with a smile, and I added that, that in itself would be quite an experience. She agreed.
I asked her what her sport was, and she was a wrestler! Awesome! I was conversing with a no doubt, bad-ass, female Olympic wrestler! I wrestled in High School and a little in College, but was an infinite distance from becoming an Olympian. We talked a little about wrestling, then I made some comment about being sure she could wail on me with very little effort, and as she laughed I wound-up the conversation.
Anyway, it was the highlight of my day. It doesn’t take much to amuse this ol’ codger.