Special Olympics

 

                I must have been about fourteen when due to the fact that I could not take physical education, 

the class I was in was going to the Special Olympics.  I went due to the fact that I had epilepsy which 

limited me from taking physical education classes like other boys.  I also took special classes, and the 

Special Olympics made me happy if just for a little while.

              I was put in track and field instead of swimming (which I had have rather done using the 

Philips Swimming Pool in Bartlesville, Oklahoma).  My teacher, Mrs. Culpepper was against me 

swimming though so I just did track and field.  Unlike others I did not just practice at the Bartlesville 

Mid High, but, the street I lived on as well.  

              When we did regionals at Tulsa, Oklahoma, I did the baton pass.  This took four people in the 

race. One would race for a while then they would pass it on to the next.  I got the blame for us taking 

fourth place (which was still pretty good), because, I took to long to pass it on to the next person.

                We then went to the state Special Olympics, which was hosted that year at Central State

University (CSU) in Edmond, Oklahoma.  There was a party there the night before with clowns and a 

rodeo star.  A girl and I were sitting next to each other, and both of us felt we did not belong there 

since we were there due to seizures.

                Our sleeping arrangements were done in the CSU dorms.  This was neat to me since I had 

never been away from home before.  The beds were comfortable to sleep in.  Then again, any bed is

 comfortable to sleep in when you are that tiered.

               The next morning at breakfast it sounded noisy with all the clanging of medals.  I had won the

gold in both the fifty yard dash, and baseball throw.  The clanging of the medals hurt my ears since I 

have canine hearing.  Due to that fact I complained to Mrs. Culpepper, but, she did not want to hear it.

   Paul D.Eccles