By Lorry Myers
It was the year of the Atlanta Olympics and that empty time of the year between summer sports and school sports. My family decided to spend some of that down time in a historic hotel that took us only an hour to get there.
Traveling with teenagers can be like traveling with toddlers.
I am a freak about the Olympics; I watch them, talk about them and remember them, not by the year, but by the people who competed. There was Peggy Fleming in France, and Mark Spitz in Munich. Who could forget the Miracle on Ice in Lake Placid, The Dream Team living the dream in Barcelona, and Tonya Harding stealing the spotlight in Norway? How about Michael Phelps, Gabby Douglas, and Simone Biles?
These people were a pretty big deal.
My family spent the day in the pool, and I planned on spending the night watching the Olympics in our room. The teenagers, with their wet suits still on the bathroom floor, were in rare form, whining and wailing when I turned on the Olympics.
A hotel stay with teenagers can be like a hotel stay with toddlers.
“I don’t get the Olympics. What’s the big deal?” my youngest daughter grumbled, followed by a dramatic sigh and eye roll of agreement from her sister.
Aggravated that these girls were not taking the Olympics seriously, I made my way to the lobby, with its open spaces, plump couches, and bigger TV. My husband followed, not about to be left alone with two teenagers and their attitudes.
The lobby was quiet, everyone all checked in and having dinner. I turned up the TV and settled in with free hotel popcorn and Randy to watch the greatest show on Earth. Tonight was the finale of the gymnastics competition, and I was not about to miss that.
The Soviets were predicted to win the gold that year, just like they’d done nine times before. The USA team was young, but seriously talented and well-trained.
We could win this!
Somewhere in the first round of competition, my bored teenage daughters showed up in the lobby and found seats on the comfy sofa. The competition was fierce, and my daughters began asking the ages of the USA teammates and how they got so good so young?
After all, they were teenagers, just like them.
For the complete column, see this week’s edition of the Centralia Fireside Guard.
