There’s something very contentious in the sports world. So contentious that practically no two people seem to agree over it. But like anything there are two sides of the story; for and against. I’m talking about boxing. Recently maybe for the umpteenth time I stumbled on a debate about boxing. I was minding my own business nestled in a corner with a year-old magazine and my forty something birr cup macchiato all but gone. (Yes, in places which, I’ve to admit, seem to be very well kept that’s about what you are charged for a small cup of that hot drink. Not a fan of that particular hot drink I’m not complaining. Because with all signs pointing to even more price increase on almost everything there’d be plenty of time to complain.)
But what I thought would be a solitary half an hour or so with my magazine didn’t turn out to be that. A fellow I know suddenly appears and asks me to join their group of three sitting on the other side of the restaurant. Why is that when you think you’ve all the world by yourself and you’re enjoying some solitary time someone jumps out of the blue and spoils your day! (Hey, smart guy; can’t you see I want to be alone! Do you think I’m playing hide and seek, or someone chased me to this corner? Get lost! Maybe someone should orient me with such things. Believe me; these days there are many you would like at scream at, “Get the hell out of my face!”)
So when this guy almost surprised me like a mugger jumping out of the darkness I was the unhappiest guy around. I didn’t have time to respond when he picked up my bill and pulled me to my feet. In such cases you know what happens? You say to yourself, “I never thought I’d be so angry!” The edges of your forehead the tip of your nose, your palms and all those places you’re nice enough not to name are feeling damp and uncomfortably wet.
You’re perspiring! Believe me, though you’ve never thrown any punch against any one, not even ‘the love of your life’ that sold you down the river, are ready for a fight and with bare hands too. Gloves! Oh no, you could not cause enough pain with those bulky soft things. Is that so? Try being punched by one and talk to us then again when all the stiches are secure. Go and do it boy! I have to admit I was angry but not bad enough to make me wish for a bare-handed punch on that chin of his.
I also knew the other two, not the types you want to spend more than five or so minutes. After some halfhearted greetings I sat down. Now what is so important for him to drag me all the way across the restaurant? That, dear readers, is not very clever question; of course they want to ask me about some current affairs. You know why I say that? That is the only thing almost everybody asks you these days. Just because they see your name floating around the media they think you know everything, even secrets only very few select group of people are supposed to familiar with. Just imagine what they feel when they find out how wrong they are.
You know what they were arguing about? Boxing! Yes, they were arguing if boxing should be banned or not! In these times of a thousand and one vital issues these supposedly learned guys argue about boxing! Oh Lord, just tell me how this could be happening? And the billion dollar question is what in the world was I there for! The fellow who literally dragged me knows that next to football my favorite sport to watch is boxing. And, of course, there is my couple of years of being a sports writer! So what? That doesn’t mean I know anything about the sport! Aha; now we come to, as they say, the juice of things.
There’s a very worrying and dangerous trend these days. Just because we are fans of something or have read a couple of books about a subject we’re taken as experts! You know what is even more dangerous? We happily accept the compliment! This is a trend we observe in almost all fields. Don’t blame the public for holding wrong views. The airwaves being dominated by self-proclaimed experts who know practically nothing about the things they talk no wonder all the wrong and even laughable notions crowd our minds.
“So what do you think?”
“What do I think about what?”
“About boxing, of course. Do you think it should be banned?”
“It’s not for me to decide.”
“Come o I know you’re crazy about boxing. You must have some stand by now.”
I didn’t go into further discussions about that. Why should I care whether it is banned or not? If it isn’t banned I’ll enjoy watching the sport; if it’s banned another sport takes the second place in my list of preferences. Of course, just because I managed to sidestep the boxing thing, I wasn’t yet off the hook.
One of them asks, “What do you think about what is going on the country?”
I should call it quite with restaurants charging forty-plus birr for a cup of not very tasty macchiato!
The Ethiopian Herald June 26/2022