My memory of this is solidly locked into two core memories.
Let me preface this by first saying I was a severely asthmatic child growing up. And I wasn’t popular in grade school
At. All.
So my first core memory is when I was doing the running portion. I was gasping for air, could hardly breath but still trying my best. And i remember a bunch of kids shouting my name and encouraging me on.
And I fucking hated it.
It was the hypocrisy of it all. most of them wouldn’t even say hello to me in the halls. I knew the teahcers were just egging them on to do it. Probably to make me feel accomplished or something. what ever.
And the second memory was how meaningless the ribbons actually were. I pretty much [laced last or second to last in all of them. so Like someone else here, I got alot of last place ribbons. But after the event everyone was just milling around, and there was the box that held the ribbons. No one was guarding or anything. So I just went up grabbed a handful of No. 1 ribbons and called it a day.
I’m 54 and that memory is still clear as a bell in my head. Among other not so great ones…
I remember a sports day at primary school (I’d have been about 8 years old for those who don’t understand ‘primary school’). There was a 1500m race. I was so last that the guy in 2nd last didn’t even know I was there and he gave up and started walking to the finish. I was still, just about, doing what I called running. My zombie-shuffle-run was faster than his walk! I could see him ahead of me. I would catch him before the line! I would overtake him! I would not be last for once!
Then the assembled parents noticed me. The bastards started cheering me on. The guy in front of me was clearly confused. Looked around. Saw the parents weren’t cheering him on. They were looking behind him. He glanced back. Saw me plodding after him. Urged his legs into a lumbering gallumph.
He beat me.
I was last again.
Fuck you for supporting me, you absolute shower of cunts!
Edit to reflect: I’m 59 and that memory is still clear as a bell in my head. Among other not so great ones…
My memory of this is solidly locked into two core memories.
Let me preface this by first saying I was a severely asthmatic child growing up. And I wasn’t popular in grade school
At. All.
So my first core memory is when I was doing the running portion. I was gasping for air, could hardly breath but still trying my best. And i remember a bunch of kids shouting my name and encouraging me on.
And I fucking hated it.
It was the hypocrisy of it all. most of them wouldn’t even say hello to me in the halls. I knew the teahcers were just egging them on to do it. Probably to make me feel accomplished or something. what ever.
And the second memory was how meaningless the ribbons actually were. I pretty much [laced last or second to last in all of them. so Like someone else here, I got alot of last place ribbons. But after the event everyone was just milling around, and there was the box that held the ribbons. No one was guarding or anything. So I just went up grabbed a handful of No. 1 ribbons and called it a day.
I’m 54 and that memory is still clear as a bell in my head. Among other not so great ones…
I remember a sports day at primary school (I’d have been about 8 years old for those who don’t understand ‘primary school’). There was a 1500m race. I was so last that the guy in 2nd last didn’t even know I was there and he gave up and started walking to the finish. I was still, just about, doing what I called running. My zombie-shuffle-run was faster than his walk! I could see him ahead of me. I would catch him before the line! I would overtake him! I would not be last for once!
Then the assembled parents noticed me. The bastards started cheering me on. The guy in front of me was clearly confused. Looked around. Saw the parents weren’t cheering him on. They were looking behind him. He glanced back. Saw me plodding after him. Urged his legs into a lumbering gallumph.
He beat me.
I was last again.
Fuck you for supporting me, you absolute shower of cunts!
Edit to reflect: I’m 59 and that memory is still clear as a bell in my head. Among other not so great ones…