day 3: competition and christina (m)

The senior men's short program was incredible.  The Olympic Team has been named.  The crowds are lingering in the stadium (about 7,000 people), the top 3 men skate around the rink, carrying the American flag.  Everyone is cheering.  Everyone, except me.

My son, H, is up next.  He has to follow this craziness.  I'm so stressed I shut down.  I sit there and people talk to me, but I don't really hear.  One of the mothers plants herself next to me and says "you can grab my arm if you need to."

H skates well.  A couple of minor bobbles, but he gets his highest score ever for his short program.

Still shaking, I get up and walk around.  I realize I haven't eaten in about 6 hours.  I am famished.

I eat a pretzel at the pretzel stand.  Didn't make a dent.  I drink a bottle of water.  Nothing.  I get a bag of peanut M&M's at the vending machine.  Not on the diet, but screw it.  I've earned this. One quarter of the way  through the bag, I realize I am full.  And then I think of Christina.

Christina was my roommate at Wharton.  She was one of the Shalimar Six in college.  A group of impeccably-dressed women who wore Diane Von Furstenburg wrap dresses with pearls to class.  They spritzed themselves with Shalimar, hence the group moniker.

Christina and I never crossed paths in college (despite going to the same school).  We met first year at Wharton and became roommates....of the Oscar and Felix variety.  Christina wore peignoir sets while doing her cost accounting homework.  I went to the library dressed in jeans, turtleneck and red clogs. 

But the thing I remember most about Christina is that she could never finish a single bag of M&M peanuts in one sitting.  She would have a few and then close the bag, securing it with a paper clip.

I looked at my bag.  No paper clip, but definitely at least 3/4s full.

Maybe this is a sign I will be thin like Christina someday.