When I left Denver on July 23, beginning an odyssey that stretched from Las Vegas to Hong Kong (via Vancouver, British Columbia) to Shanghai to Beijing, the Rockies thought they were playoff contenders and three or four guys — and perhaps one woman — thought they had a shot at being on the Democratic presidential ticket.
As I write this, hours before the Olympic flame is extinguished and the countdown to the 2012 Summer Games in London begins, things are, ahem, a little clearer.
But leaving one massive, over-the-top endeavor in Asia just in time to return to another practically in my backyard makes me wonder if the thousands of people already descending on Denver will be treated with as much kindness as we experienced in China.
After a buildup that seemed equal parts fear and paranoia, with potential horrors ranging from hidden cameras around every corner to being unable to take a deep breath, the reality was infinitely different.
It took a rally in the late innings of the Olympics to get the number of times I actually saw a machine gun up close to double digits. (I don’t know why that is). And I only saw one tank — which happened to be parked one day in front of the press center. (I really, really don’t want to know about that, either).
Happily, those numbers paled in comparison to the ongoing warmth bestowed by the hosts, beginning with the three occasions when a volunteer breathlessly rushed up and grabbed me, and then let me know that one of the zippers on my backpack was askew.
Perhaps sometime later this week, while you’re waiting for Obama and Biden to hit Invesco Field, you might bestow some kindness to a visitor. You might just might make someone’s convention.
One World, One Dream.
Here for you, gentle readers,
Anthony Cotton
