The exercise:
Write four lines of prose about: the cheater.
Because, I mean, seriously Lance. You cannot make us forget what you did - and all those years of lying about it which followed - with a weak interview with friggin' Oprah.
In other, much more fun news, Max seems to be back to his usual self.
If, you know, a 10 week old can actually have a usual self.
Mine:
I know she's cheating. I know it to my very core. There is no other possible explanation for this series of victories - or defeats, if one chooses to see things from my point of view.
The problem, it has become immensely clear to me, is finding a way to prove it.
5 comments:
The Cheater
"Money is the root of all evil", she said.
"No, it's what folk do with it, how they earn it, and spend it or waste it, it's people doing evil things with it," I corrected.
This world revolves around this whole concept and it was never more obvious as now as the world rewards the sports cheater with exclusive interviews ad nauseum.
"He should have to pay back every cent he earned through endorsements and pay some prize money to those who came second, from whom he essentially stole," I muttered, as I walked away.
I actually think its hard to treat someone as harshly as this unless you've also proven that no-one else was cheating. Rather like the MLB scandal a little while back – the issue isn't that one person has been caught out, the issue is endemic to the sport and probably needs to be better addressed. Bodybuilding has the odd situation of having specifically drug-free events while top performers (who don't enter such events) deny taking drugs just like everyone else. Because the sport-culture they're in requires it. I always wonder if such a fuss is made because the guy getting caught is giving the game away for everyone else.
But I can't for the life of me see how an interview with Oprah is supposed to make anything better ;-)
@Writebite: That's a very emotional piece and nicely written.
@Marc: While your piece is very well written, it feels a little abstract after your introduction, I was kind of hoping to find out what your cheater was cheating at!
The cheater
"She's a cheater," he muttered as he stomped out of the bar. "Marked cards," was his last, under-his-breath hiss as he reached the door, and then slammed it behind him.
I sighed and went back to cleaning the glasses. Everyone in the game was cheating one way or another, and I knew for a fact that he was a thief – I'd seen him swipe half the pot before storming off.
Writebite - I'd agree, except second through who knows what all probably (or have been confirmed) cheated as well.
It's all rather disillusioning, isn't it?
Greg - I think he's made it worse through the years of denial and ruining the lives of those who tried to tell the truth that bothers me the most. The actual cheating almost seems unimportant beside that.
And mine was abstract because I couldn't decide what the cheating was all about :P
Ah, a game played amongst cheaters. Everyone loses, but some win as well, I suspect...
"You grimy, cheating little reed-clot," he spat, and slowly advanced.
Shotek itched to wipe the spray from his face, but refrained, though he couldn't help but back away. "Mutual happenstance is quite different than cheating," he said, "but it's hard to see how it's different than handpicking your unwilling lot for your exclusive benefit."
A dangerous silence followed, but he understood--and reacted--much quicker than Shotek hoped, and with speed frightful for his speed he had Shotek off his feet and pinned to the tree, and hissed, "Fancy your chances, shuffler?"
- - - - - - - -
I've had one of the last bits I did here mulling in my head, but other than its vague connection to that I'm not entirely sure what this is.
But, here it is: it's practice, and I've fulfilled my general daily bit.
g2 - very, very intriguing scene. More, please :)
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