Sem Eye

The Olympic Games are almost over. Thankfully, grandson David was here when they began and got me hooked. I’m old enough to watch by myself, but it is so much more fun to watch with someone.

I have always been impressed with the technology involved. There must have been lots of chaotic moments, but the presentations were smooth. I enjoyed the quick background information about the athletes, because it made them seem three-dimensional. There are probably many sports fans who could have dispensed with that patter, but I liked it. NBC pushed American teams, which was expected. However, they also featured the outstanding winners from other countries. Usain Bolt of Jamaica was one of those.

Speaking of Usain, I had a nightmare about him. Who would have thought this giant runner with a jaunty air could inspire a nightmare? In my dream, I was watching him up close, as if I were a camera man beside the track. Every time he struck that signature pose of his, I felt a compulsion to swallow. What a struggle it was to swallow when there was nothing in my mouth! I desperately wanted to beg him to just smile and wave and quit tormenting me with that fun pose. Struggling out of sleep, I was almost sucking my teeth loose, trying to swallow.

The commentators never seemed to falter when pronouncing the names of the athletes. Yes, they probably had phonetic spellings, but I’ve heard church lectors mispronounce Elisha on a Sunday morning. Granted, the names may not have sounded quite right to their owners, but the sportscasters said them with authority. That brings to mind my question about “semi”. All my life I’ve heard people talk about semifinals, semiautomatic weapons, and semicircles. It was semmy, not sem-eye. Where on earth did sem-eye come from? All the TV people talked about the upcoming sem-eye for beach volleyball or the results of the sem-eye for the 100-meter race. Can you say sem-eye-circle without twisting your face? Sem-eye might be world-speak now with its constant airing of the past two weeks, but I will never say it willingly myself. Could I interest any of you to join me in a semi-serious protest of sem-eye?