Twin Sizzler Race Report by Malcolm Dancer

Mom, Grandma, Vincent and I arrive at the Medina Gazebo. Where's Grandpa? Mom is a little worried since he was supposed to meet us here, but Grandma just says that he's probably still running around and not to worry. Eventually he makes the scene, carrying these pieces of paper with numbers on them along with some safety pins.


Mom pins the paper to my shirt. I hate the thing. I try to rip it off, but can only tug at the pins. What kind of paper is this? Mom and Grandpa inform me that I need this "bib" to run in the race. I still hate it.


Vincent tells Mom that he has decided not to run. "I want to let Malcolm win this time," he says. (I would have smoked him anyway. After all, the kid's two years younger than me.) Grandma will stay with him whilst Grandpa, Mom and I run.


We go into the street with a lot of other people. Mom tells me that we are lining up for the start. I still hate this darn bib on my shirt! Before I can complain again, a big horn goes off, and Mom and Grandpa say, "Let's run!"


As we begin running, Grandpa tells me, not for the first time, to start off running slowly so that I can save my energy. He says that a mile is a long way. The heck with that! All the other kids are running fast down the hill, so I do too!


This is fun! I run by the Policeman who stopped all the cars to let us run by. I come to some railroad tracks, and I stop to look for trains. Grandpa tells me that there won't be any trains today. He also says, "c'mon, let's keep running!" So I do. For a while.


I'm tired, so I stop. Grandpa tells me that I should at least walk when I am too tired to run. Instead, I run real fast again. Then I stop to rest again. And so on. Grandpa has a tough time keeping up with me when I'm running fast! And Mom is falling behind. Grandpa tells Mom not to worry, because he will stay with me. Ha! We'll see about that!


Grandpa was right about one thing: a mile is a long way. I slow down a little, and keep running. We are passing some other people, but then they pass us when I slow down or stop. Grandpa seems to know lots of them.

Grandpa points the way to the finish. Like I needed him to tell me that it's right up the road.         John McCarroll photo

We turn onto a road made of bricks! Grandpa tells me to be careful not to trip. Heck with that! This part is downhill, and I am running fast again. Grandpa tells me that we can see the finish line far ahead. We finish running on the bricks, cross the railroad tracks (still no trains) and come up a hill to the finish line.


Naturally I outsprint Grandpa to finish ahead of him. That part was easy! And fun! Someone hands me a ribbon that's red, white and blue. Grandpa tells me that it's my award. I can't wait to put it in my room!


Vincent and Grandma are there to cheer me on. We all cheer for Mom as she runs in. Vincent has a dinosaur made of skinny balloons. I want one too, so we ask a lady to make me one, and she does.


And that's my story. Grandpa says there will be more to come! I sure hope so.

This is when I lowered the hammer to leave Grandpa in the dust!                                John McCarroll photo