On the Winter Olympics

On the Winter Olympics

"Dad?" the boy asks, "Did we win anything in the Winter Olympics?"

"Why yes," I reply, "We took a gold medal in the Skeleton Bob. Not bad for a country not known for its winter sports."

"What about the Winter Paralympics? How did we do in that?"

And to that question I am stumped, and risk a loss of face in front of the boy.

Only one thing for it: Lie through my teeth, and stick to the story.

"Well?" he asks, sensing blood, "It's for my citizenship homework."

"As a matter of fact, we did rather well. We got a gold in the ...err.... Ski Jump for the Blind."

"Wow."

"Although when I say 'won', I mean 'sole survivor'."

"Ah."

"Those poor, poor guide dogs."