Where Do You Cut It Off? Prosthetics and Para-Olympics

It’s the second time this summer that I’ve caught the 3:55 express train on a Friday afternoon from Chicago's Union Station. But my memory is bad. I forgot that there is a rolling party of North-bound Metra personnel that evidently gets underway in a bar at the Union station. It carries on in the back of the first car and like the air from a balloon, deflates with each stop as partiers reach destinations.

Sliding open the door, Cubs, Bears, coaching, wrestling, daughters, soccer came screaming out. I made my way four or five seats into the car and riders were clearly in a rubber band ball of conversations – bouncing off, loud then louder with one another.  I found a seat near a window gaining a seat mate as we pulled out.

The conversation turned to Lance Armstrong who yesterday made an announcement that he would cease fighting the doping inquiry. The conversation bounced more and landed for a moment on the Blade Runner of the Olympics… Oscar Pistorius the man who runs on springy prosthetics.

Probably meaning to say, “Where do you draw the line?” a woman's  voice implored, "Where do you cut it off?” I squirmed at her gaff. Could she really mean she wanted the amount of amputation measured for eligibility in the Olympics. Either way... my sobriety was challenged. Words matter.