The Olympic Torch

I was leaving my house, going to my car and could hear loudspeakers, men's and women's voices, saw a helicopter circling overhead, heard the loudspeakers again, and thought I was in a part of a Law and Order episode where some criminal was in a building and the police were on their megaphones. I wondered whatever was going on over at the university to cause such a commotion.

I drove down the street and by St. Pious Catholic Church saw a whole crowd of people on the streets, the flashing lights of a police car at the intersection and police on bicycles going up and down the street.

I changed my agenda and parked a block away to see that by the time I got there, the people on the streets had red flags and were waving them. Six recreational vehicles of different types passed by first, all painted with logos about the Olympics. Music and proud Canadians were in them, waving and smiling to those of us on the streets who waved back.

Within five minutes along came Susan Auch, 2-time Olympic medalist, dressed in a sparkling white track suit, jogging, proudly carrying the Olympic Torch high, smiling, waving to everyone on the street. The torch is stylized, white, a red gas flame about a foot high burning in the plus/minus zero weather.

A perfect day to remember how proud I am to be a Canadian.

Couldn't have been better unless "O Canada" would have been playing.

Arta