I can see the fear in your eyes every time I step up to the plate in Park Rec "D" league softball. Your eyes check out the carbon fiber legs. The gleam of titanium fittings forces an involuntary blink. You know I’m a threat. You know I will beat you. If I were Oscar Pistorius. (here)
I was born with the same basic condition as Oscar.
Pistorius was born without fibulas — the long, thin outer bone between the knee and ankle — and was 11 months old when his legs were amputated below the knee.
Surgeries and technology make it possible for us to walk, run, chase girls as necessary. Oscar has taken it a bit farther than softball; to the threshold of qualifying for the Beijing Olympics. With World Paralympic records in the 100, 200 and 400 m, his times against able-bodied runners have been improving rapidly.
However, the IAAF, apparently from a sealed bunker, yesterday decided that able-bodied athletes have something to fear from amputees as they ruled Oscar and his Cheetah’s ineligible for Beijing.
I want to reassure all of you, you have nothing to fear. We are still human, though we outperform your weak flesh limbs. We come in peace. We didn’t even pack our machine gun legs.
(image: ossur.com)
