Basketballer from Estonia

Tartu - Estonia. On the eve of the Tartu Maraton, there was a big opening ceremony in the main stadium. Some official speeches and a show of Estonian folk dances, skiers in traditional dresses, ski sprints. I memorized a name of one junior skier - Kristina Smigun. But I could not stand long in one place, it was so cold (around -30C ), that every few minutes I had to

run to the top of the stadium to warm up at one of large bonfires.

During one of such visits a very big man looked at me curiously

- Where from are you? - he asked recognizing from my improper clothes, that I must be a foreigner.

- Melbourne, Australia.

- Melbourne! - he shouted - are you really from Melbourne?

- Yes, certainly I am.

- Melbourne! This is most beautiful city in the world! - he exclaimed squeezing my hand.

- Have you been to Melbourne?

- Yes, yes, in 1956, at the Olympic Games.

- O, you participated in the Olympic Games?

- Yes, I played basketball.

- Basketball at Melbourne Olympic Games.. - I retrieved my memory for a while - oh yes, Soviet Union won a silver medal.

- Yes, Soviet Union - he frowned - but I played for Estonia! For Estonia! Do you understand? - he squeezed my hand even stronger.

- Yes I understand - I answered. I saw tears freezing on his cheeks.and felt ice on my cheeks too.