Racing to the Medals.

Perspiration trickled down my right underarm and briefly I recalled confiding in Hana about this terrible one underarm sweating oddity. I was reassured that this was a definite Dinnie trait...nerve sweats...skeptical as I was, I allowed myself to be consoled.

My red t-shirt soaking wet, but totally ignored, as I focused furiously on my 3 year old son taking his place at the starting line. Flanking his right, was a tall black boy with intimidating looking legs, on his left was a rather small and sparrow like child. This was that life defining race.

The sports arena was a mess. Children loitering about demanding ice lollies. Teachers hollering for kids to stay at the starting line. "Wait...wait!!!! OKaaaaaay Gooooooo!"

The three children stayed at the starting line. "Runnnnn!"

The three children looked at each other.

I heard a mommy shout, "Taufik run! Run! Runnnnnnnnnn". To my horror it was my voice bellowing out the command.

Taufik shot off, big smile on his face as he turns to smile at me. "Watch where you are going!!! Run! Faster! Fasterrrrr!"

The other two kids bolted after him, the black boy legs flipping to the back (was he skipping happily? What is he? Little Red Riding Hood?) his chest thrusted forward, legs scissoring back quite cheerfully. He didn't quite know which way to go, I thought with satisfaction.

I turned back to my son, he was first...and horrors of horror, he was veering away from the finishing line, that treasured red ribbon, and headed for his teacher. "No! Not there. Taufik! Taaaaufiiiiiik!" I shrieked.

Black boy, Skippy the Kangaroo was following Taufik like a lemming, and he too headed for the arms of teacher Raihana. Two assistant teachers that were holding the finishing line ribbon got into action, "Here this way! This way!" Taufik executes a corner baring, Skippy follows suit, but that third child, that small sparrow like child, sashayed quietly and correctly to the finishing line
My son came in second, I was inconsolable. Skippy was happy to be third.

When they gave out the medals, they made an incongruous picture. The smallest child first, and the biggest child last. My son slept with his two medals (he won the water relay race), hugged me with his two arms around my neck and said, "Mommy, I am a winner!!!"

p.s. Pictures of the three boys will be uploaded tomorrow night. For now, I am dog tired, could be the excessive sweating, you think?