Back in 2002, my daughter, who lives in Los Angeles, sent my wife and me two of those popular blue berets worn by the athletes at the Salt Lake Olympics.
I wore one while shopping at a grocery store. The checkout clerk observed the cap and commented, “Nice hat. Did you go to the Olympics as a spectator or as a participant?”
Picking up on that, I stuck out my chest and declared with a straight face, “My name is Joe Pack. I won a silver medal at Park City in aerial skiing!”
“That’s fantastic,” she exclaimed. “Could I please have your autograph?”
Pulling off the cap for her to get a closer look, I replied: “Now wouldn’t that be an achievement for a 70-year-old?”
We shared a good laugh, not only at the case of mistaken identity, but also the likelihood of such a thing ever happening.
(Editor’s note: How could we not Google up the answer to this? The oldest-ever Olympic medalist was Oscar Swahn of Sweden, who was nearly 73 years old when he won silver in the 1920 Olympics for shooting. Swahn had previously won gold at the 1912 Olympics, when he was a mere juvenile of 64.)
Everybody Has a Story welcomes nonfiction contributions, 1,000 words maximum, and relevant photographs. Email is the best way to send materials so we don’t have to retype your words or borrow original photos. Send to: neighbors@columbian.com or P.O. Box 180, Vancouver WA, 98666. Call “Everybody Has an Editor” Scott Hewitt, 360-735-4525, with questions.
