THE CITY’S
SPORTS COMPLEX
At the beginning of one week, hundreds of workers started their day digging an enormous hole near the town square my father had built. From a great distance, shovels, hoes, and pickaxes softly scraped alongside the roar of tractors and other heavy construction equipment. Trucks arrived continuously, carrying loads of cement, bricks, stone and steel, and left loaded with earth and debris. The site was hectic, and in the middle of the activity reigned Champion, planning strategies, conducting workers, leading his army of workers and machinery.
He was in full command of the battle taking place under that huge cloud of dust.
He was happy to be there.
All of his men were happy to be there.
And because they were content at their jobs, the job would get done faster.
News spread quickly and the City celebrated. They were building a sports stadium.
It was Champion’s gift to the City, an old dream about to become reality. With this enterprise, the aging sportsman hoped to realize another dream — to nurture young athletes who would take his place in the arena. The stadium would be the school and stage for young athletes in all sports, for individuals and for teams. Besides running tracks and fields, there would be volleyball, basketball, tennis, and indoor soccer courts, not to mention the full-scale field for real soccer matches. For swimming, Olympic-sized pools would permit simultaneous competitions in swimming, diving, and other events. More than just a simple stadium, the sports complex would have the characteristics of an Olympic village.
When the idea was still in the planning stages, Champion decided to call the project The City Sports Complex. Soon the community’s conversations were buzzing about the CSC.
From the beginning until the end of the construction, men worked at a frantic pace 24/7.
Champion was in a hurry to finish so that he could inaugurate the complex on his birthday. No one knew Champion’s age, but everyone knew his motives. He explained that it would be a double present for him. First of all, for him to be able to donate the complex to the City and second of all, for him to be able to bask in the enthusiastic energy of the population.
“It will be the greatest achievement of my life,” he confided to the workers.
“And ours too,” admitted the construction team.
As members of the community, they would reap the benefits that the stadium would offer. That’s why their nonstop effort was worth every minute of hard labor. Fully motivated from start to finish, the men managed to finish the job ahead of time.
It was truly a work of art. The covered bleachers had a tribune of honor with reserved seats for the City’s leaders: Judge, Priest, Chief of Police, and Mayor would not need to stand in lines. Other illustrious citizens were also given the chance to reserve their places. Everyone was amazed that the swimming pools’ crystalline water was the same aqua as the City’s man-made lake. To the smallest detail, the courts were impeccable. The track and field impressed all with their gracious lines and sense of motion. The complex was a colossal success.
Some even suggested that the name be changed from the CSC to the Colossal Sports Complex, but Champion protested, “Never!”
Though most of the population favored “Colossal,” Champion’s opinion was respected without debate as a way of thanking him for his generous gift. Someone offered another suggestion: Champion’s Colossal Sports Center.
“That’s even worse!” he declared, ending any further discussion. In fact, Champion was a simple, humble man who could not fathom attaching his name to the magnificent project.
Mayor, in response to a request from my father, called for a committee to be in charge of the CSC inauguration. It was a large group of adults and children with representatives from varied social levels. All ideas, suggestions and reminders were welcome. The festivities would include firing a canon in salutation, fireworks, chiming church bells, student parades, athlete parades, and of course the City’s own marching band Sazefeem leading up to the highlight of the celebration: a soccer match between CC and an adversary yet to be chosen. The winner of the match would take home the Loner’s Trophy — a two foot crystal the color of the Lake of the City.
The committee agreed unanimously with a suggestion to surprise Champion. Their plan was considered a top secret because they knew that if word leaked out, the old athlete would refuse to participate. For obvious reasons, the surprise would take place after the game because it would only work if CC won the trophy. The entire committee agreed that after the ref whistled the end of the game, Champion would be so happy that he would not be able to escape their recognition. They imagined that it would be the most exciting moment in his life, a moment of unforgettable joy.
But their plan would only work if CC won the game.
No comments:
Post a Comment