An Olympic Gold Story

It’s cold in Toronto! Los Angeles can get cold in the winter when it rains but nothing like this. But I’m not complaining. My best friend got free tickets to several Olympic events from her Dad and invited me to come if I could pay the airfare. We could both stay with her Dad who lives in Toronto. I jumped at the chance to go see some Olympic skiing. One of my ex-boyfriends taught me how to ski a couple of years ago and I’ve been hooked ever since.

I was standing outside the coffee shop waiting for my friend. I wasn’t sure if I had the right one and didn’t want to miss her if she walked by. I’m glad I bought a pair of flip-top fingerless wool gloves before I came. A pair of mittens holding a hot cup of coffee was working just fine.

As I was waiting, someone bumped into me and I spilled some of my coffee. I turned around and there was Lindsey Vonn apologizing for bumping into me! She was my idol and I’d just yesterday watched her win gold in the women’s downhill. “I’m so sorry” she said as she turned to be on her way. “Lindsey Vonn?” I asked hesitantly. She turned and smiled but appeared to be in a hurry. “Can I have your autograph…please…and I’ll forget you spilled my coffee?” She laughed and walked back as I fumbled for a pen and an old program I had in my coat pocket.

As I handed her the pen, it dropped into the snow and disappeared. I reached down with my mitten but it was dark and I didn’t see exactly where it landed. “Please wait just one more minute” I pleaded as she said she was late and needed to get going. I flipped off the top of my gloves and felt in the snow with my fingers until I found my pen at last. She signed my program and waved goodbye as I watched her leave.

Good thing I had my flip-top fingerless gloves or I’d have never found my pen in time. Wow, I thought…my friend is never going to believe this. Meeting Lindsey Vonn and getting her autograph at the Olympics was my version of winning a gold medal!