you dope?

when i was a kid, dope was an alcohol-based substance applied to tissue paper covering a balsa wood frame. the frame could be an airplane wing, or fuselage. dope was highly toxic and flamable. my older brothers and i used to like the smell, though it wasn't best to use it in closed quarters. the tissue paper was first wet and, when dried, would be taut. dope was applied to seal the tissue paper. colored dope added distinction to the project. clear dope created a sense of depth in the finish. i can still remember the smell.

sometimes, when my third oldest brother thought i did something 'stupid', he would call me a dope.

as i got older, dope was slang for drugs...usually heroin or acid, sometimes marijuana. gossip about the 'burnouts' was comprised of how the erratic and problematic and confusing behavior of kids was a direct result of being on dope. i remember moving from michigan to wisconsin. we traveled back for my oldest brother's wedding. my second oldest brother hooked up with his childhood friends. one in particular...his name was stu...had gotten into the 'drug scene'. i remember my second oldest brother coming back after his visit with stu, and being upset because stu was "on dope". i recall having a thought that stu was a dope.

today, dope is primarly an athletic issue. no competitive sport is immune to the questions that are raised as to whether an athlete's performance was due to steroids, or some other substance.

i am ambivalent about the use of drugs...dope...when it comes to competitive sports. not that i am actually in favor of drugs, which i am not. the issue is the cut-off point for technology and human skill. takes the men's horizontal bar in gymnastics. incredible feats of skills and control of momentum occur on the horizontal bar. few of the technical elements could be completed if men were not allowed to wear special gloves that have a dowel sewn into the finger tips of the gloves, enabling the athlete to clamp on to the bar. resin, for that matter, is used to dry one's hands, useful for gymnastics and baseball. in the past, pitchers used dirt. now, resin is a must. in competitive air rifle shooting, special guns with balance bars, special glasses with depth gauge's and side-blinders enable accuracy. in swimming, special suites reduce drag in the water. whereas one used to shave legs to cut down on drag, now one relies upon the suit. are any of these, and the myriad other technical advancements, any better than dope? i think not...all are designed to provide a competitive edge for someone purportedly trying to demonstrate athletic superiority.

we have kids in tennis classes before they enter elementary school. little kids learn to ride on bikes that have shocks and gears and hand brakes. it is all about advantage.

dopes