In primary school, I was selected for the gymnastics team… I was so proud. The first class went well; we did some easy acrobatics. In the second class, after a few acrobatics, we were told we would do vaults.
When my turn came, the coach said, ‘Run… and jump!’ I did the ‘run’ but I stopped right before the vault horse. It seemed huge; even with the springboard, I couldn’t imagine that I could do it. I went back to the start.
The coach said, ‘Again! Rrrun… aaand jump!’ I ran again and stopped again before the horse, saying, ‘No.’ The coach said, ‘Jump!’ I said, ‘No.’ The coach yelled, ‘Juuump!’ I said, ‘Okaaay…’ I went back to the start line, I ran, and collecting all my courage, I jumped on the springboard, arriving on the horse exactly in the position you see in the photo. Then I climbed up “gracefully” – see the photo, sat on the horse for a few seconds, assessing the height, and descended with the same “grace”. The coach was speachless.
That was my last gymnastics class. I told my mother that the coach was hysterical and I didn’t want to see him again. Oppressed Gemini…