PAGE 10 THE RETRIEVER OPINION December 5, 1995 Bethany's Brave New Road tributing a greater amount of money Another thing is that people who supplying them with a license. For is great! — would be to give every ing pushed out the way by Maseratis. to take care of our highway infra- succeed in the capitalist business example, "You want to pass the car rich person a special car that every Yes, someday we can all strive to own Bethany Nikfar structure. world generally have intelligence in front of you, but there's an on- other driver would be able to iden- homes and a bit of highway pave- Also, taxes on gasoline are even- and social skills that have helped coming car. What do you do? tify easily, and then the common ment to do things our own way. tually funneled back into the High- them climb the ranks. But in this A) Pull out anyway, and run the on- schleps on the road would have to Either you've shouted the way Administration. So those who country, any lowlife jerk can get a coming car off the road. make way for it. I'm picturing a red Bethany Nikfar is a political science words in anger, or another log a greater mileage as part of their license — a golden pass to clog up B) Pull out anyway, and run the on- coupe with a big gold star on the and history major and is the features irate driver has shouted them commute or serve as road warriors the roads with his lack of class and/ coming car off the road — then give hood. Say you're driving along and editor of The Retriever. at you: "What?! DO YOU OWN in sales are paying greater taxes since or intelligence. You know, the them the finger. you see a big gold star in your rear- THE ROAD?!! '"Well, as a matter of they are buying more gas. assholes who drive five miles-an- C) Wait until the on-coming lane view mirror coming up on your rear; fact, some people do. Someday I'll be paying more taxes hour under the speed limit in the is clear. you'd have to move over or onto the "The Motor Vehicle Ad- In a country where the capitalist than most people and I want an ad- fast lane. Or the losers who swerve I've been run off the road by a car shoulder, and let the person who ministration should ad- attitude prevails, something is amiss. vantage on the roads. Hell, I already in and out of lanes with no consid- trying to pass traffic in the opposite owns more of the road pass by. And minister an exam to judge American society is soaked in a "Sur- pay more taxes than Americans on eration for anyone else on the road. lane. Nevermind that I'm a good citi- if you didn't, and an accident re- vival of the Fittest" belief that can welfare. Yet I have to drive next to But there are solutions. zen who pays taxes, I have to suffer sulted, it would be all your fault. applicants' social skills be found in everything from where them on the road, choking on the foul First, the Motor Vehicle Adminis- at the hands of the common trash on I have this beautiful capitalistic before supplying them people live (from wealthy neighbor- exhaust pumping out of the tailpipes tration should administer an exam to the road. vision for the country: Lancers dodg- hoods to slums) to where they work of their 1970 Oldsmobiles. judge applicants' social skills before But the greatest solution — oh, this ing Lamborghinis, and Mazdas be- with a license." (either in a downtown highrise office or a dilapidated corner store). But there's one thing in this country that GOOdbye tO Romance A Skating Fan Remembers Sergei Grinkov is far too egalitarian: the roads. Think about it. Dusters next to skater in its history. An extremely I'm not saying all early deaths escorted her on the ice when G&G support from her partner. Diablos, Pintos alongside Porches. strong, talented jumper and spin- aren't tragic, but I do believe some took their bows in Discover's Every time Katya returns to the But I'd be willing to bet that the same Claudia ner, Sergei was able to throw his deaths are more devastating than "Stars on Ice." ice, she can't help but be reminded folks driving the fancy cars do, in wife and partner, Ekaterina others. Sergei was a loving father For a single gal like myself, it al- of her husband's death. At 24, her fact, own the majority of the road. Moessinger Gordeeva, to heights no other pairs and devoted husband, and was most became unbearable to watch career and her marriage are a thing Consider what funds are used to could parallel. On moves in which adored by the entire skating com- Sergei and Katya always perform of the past. build and take care of the upkeep of all the other pairs in the world lost munity and millions of fans around sultry numbers like "The Man I After a day of crying and stom- the highways and streets: Taxes. And I nearly became involved in a speed, G&G (as they were called) the world. Just months before his Love" and "Summertime." Once in achaches, I had almost reconciled with the introduction of a graduated punching match when I heard a gained momentum. death, readers of the prominent a while I would grumpily comment myself to the news, telling myself income tax, those who make more, fellow student trivialize the sud- Two-time Olympic gold medal- American skating magazine, that it was sickening to see the two that women were strong, that Katya pay more. So they are therefore con- den death of 28-year-old Sergei ist and well-known American com- "Blades on Ice" voted G&G as so in love, when I had no one. had several years to love Sergei, Grinkov, two-time Olympic gold mentator, Dick Button called their favorite pairs skating team. But as I would continue to watch that she at least had a child from medalist for pairs figure skating. Sergei the perfect pairs skater be- Sergei was a role model for them together, my sullenness their union, and that I could always "People die all the time," said this cause of his unique ability to present young boys, a testimony that the would fade and be replaced with watch the two perform their magic writers nameless person. "It's no more a his partner, and let her, not himself, good guy does win, who showed joy, for no other skaters performed on videotape. tragedy than when other young be the focus of attention. This abil- that becoming a father could be the as well as G&G. Their talent was However, when I viewed a clip promising athletes die." Other ity, coupled with his muscular body, greatest moment of one's life, even so great that they could not be com- from Sergei's funeral in Moscow, writers people I met throughout the day handsome face, and intense emotions more so than winning the Olympic pared to anyone who had come I was torn to pieces. The beautiful echoed these thoughts saying, "It helped propel him and his wife to gold, and someone who treated his before them or anyone today. They young woman who always had a happens." four world championships, two wife with the utmost respect. It is were the essence of perfection. smile on her face peered out Yes, death happens, and yes, all Olympic gold medals, and countless unfortunate, but in football, and Just in the past week, I was through glassy eyes, writers premature deaths are tragic. But professional titles. many other sports, abuse of watching a televised skating pro- unemotionless, looking as though anyone who ever saw Sergei But Sergei will be remembered women, and of one's own body, is duction starring the pair and com- the breath had been seized from her Grinkov skate with his wife less for his classical style and skill commonplace. mented to my mother, "I hope they body along with her husband's. writers Ekaterina Gordeeva realizes that and more for the special love he I have clear memories of the never get divorced." Even though Sergei lay in an open casket look- Sergei's death last week from a shared with his wife, Katya, a love death of Len Bias, the promising I was a bit jealous of their life to- ing just like the man.who had car- heart attack is a horrible tragedy which the two shared with audi- young basketball player, from a gether, to ever see it end would be ried her in his arms and to victory for many reasons. ences around the world every at the 1994 Olympics. wanted Last week, the sport of figure time they skated, a love 1992 ■ mm After a week, my stomach skating lost the greatest male pairs Olympic Gold Medalist Kristi u"Every performance and every interview with G&G gave still aches, and I have a hard Yamaguchi described as time convincing myself not to "heaven." young romantics like myself hope that love was well and alive think about it. But 1 can't help Knowing what was lost with outside of the Brothers Grimm and Hollywood movies." thinking that Katya Gordeeva the death of Sergei Grinkov, I __ must think about it for the can't help but be angry that rest of her life. I feel physi- more attention was not given to this cocaine overdose. Bias died when heartbreaking to the extreme. cally sick from the loss, ind have I was a little girl. His death must Understanding what I, was m- cried more in the past few days tragedy. A beautiful tribute was . . i( 6 flHW. ,\BZ pflJprii! aired on CBS, but at 5:00 on a Sun- have received enormous publicity sinuating, my mother said, That than I have in months. Imagine day afternoon, hardly a time when for me (never really being a bas- would be so disillusioning." I had how she is taking the news Americans are camped around the ketball fan) to have remembered it sadly watched over the past couple The night of her husband's death television set. so many years later. years the break up of two of my Katya said to Scott Hamilton, Although the Russian skaters' Sergei is a hero not only because favorite ice dancers, Usova and "Maybe it was too good," referring names may not be instantly recog- of his accomplishments in sports, Zhulin. The 1993 World Champi- to the life she shared with her hus- nizable to Americans, nonetheless, but because of the way he lived his ons seemed to possess a love for band. A comment which Scoit in- millions of Americans cheered for life, and in my opinion his death is one another which almost rivaled terpreted to mean that Katya, G&G as they won the 1988 and the more tragic of the two. Sergei G&G's, but word spread that although totally devastated, had de- 1994 Olympic gold medals, many Grinkov, the man, the husband, the Zhulin had been having an affair veloped a complete appreciation of fell in love with the striking young father, and the athlete, must never with another ice dancer, and the mar- the time she shared with her husband. romantic couple, so obviously in be forgotten. ried couple which expressed such At the very least she did not take her love with each other. Both pairs skater Karen passion on the ice eventually sepa- time with Sergei for granted. Her However, the night after his Courtland and 1984 Olympic gold rated. For such a fate to befall G&G memories and the world's memories death, Sergei's name was nowhere medalist Scott Hamilton have been would be as unthinkable as Romeo of her husband will help to comfort to he heard on any sports radio credited to having said that and Juliet finding new lovers. her fatherless daughter. shows, and yet sports lost one of Sergei's and Katya's hearts seemed I was to see G&G compete for I am fortunate to have witnessed its greatest and most accomplished to beat as one, a statement which the World Professional Champion- such a love, and I know that if any- athletes. I can't help but believe sums up their relationship on and ships December 9. It was an event thing like it ever happens to me I more fanfare and tribute would off the ice. I was especially looking forward to will not take it for granted. I am have been given to a boxing cham- Sergei and Katya met when she as it would pit Sergei and Katya forever thankful to have seen G&G pion like Mike Tyson, if he had was four and he eight, and began against world professional cham- win the world professional title last suddenly dropped dead of a heart skating together seven years later. pions and audience favorites, year at Landover (from second row attack, regardless of the fact that Initially, Sergei played the role of Underhill and Martini. seats, no less!) and I doubt I will Tyson is a tried felon and rapist. Katya's protective older brother, Now, there will be no show- never again be witness to a skat- I can't help but believe that if but as the years wore on, their re- down, there will be no more inter- ing pair who exhibited such perfec- Wilt Chamberlain had dropped lationship took a different turn. views, no more performances, and tion and unison in their moves. dead on the basketball court in his Those, like Canadian pairs cham- no more happy moments for the All premature deaths are tragic, prime, sportscasters would have pion, and world renowned chore- greatest pair skaters that ever lived. but I do believe the death of Sergei been heard grieving on every ra- ographer, Sandra Bezic, said that Regardless of how exciting next Grinkov was a tragedy for his sport dio station, even though Wilt was Katya had idolized her partner week's competition turns out to be, and for a world which believed ex- Courtesy of Discover "Stars on Ice " not exactly a man with high mor- from a very early age. Only after I know that every skater and fan in traordinary love and devotion ex- als and had low regard for women, the two won the 1988 Olympics the building will be left wondering isted outside of Hollywood. Paired together as children, the relationship between as he flaunted a claim of having and Katya had turned 17, did what might have been. Thank goodness for videotape, Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov matured into a slept with more than 10,000 Sergei realize he shared the same Perhaps I have been lucky in liv- film, and memories, which will for- storybook romance. women in his lifetime. feelings for his beautiful partner. ing a rather shielded, pain-free life, ever preserve the extraordinary de- The pair married in 1991, and perhaps that is why the death of a votion between the two. I think gave birth to a daughter, Daria, a Russian athlete who lived half the Scott Hamilton put it best in de- year-and-a-half later. As a young year in Simsbury, Connecticut af- scribing the bond between skating fan watching the duo per- fected me so profoundly. For when Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei form, I almost felt like a Peeping I heard the news about the death Grinkov. Said Scott, "You don't Tom intruding on an intimate mo- of Sergei Grinkov I felt an inde- think of her without him and you ment between two young lovers. scribable, sickening pain in my don't think of him without her and I soon realized that they wanted stomach. For days following the that will never change. It will al- to share their love for one another, news, an otherwise joyous Thanks- ways be Sergei and Katya" an unusual and overwhelming love giving was saddened every time I If not in body, at least in our hearts. which seemed almost out of place reminded myself of the tragedy. in today's world. Every perfor- Even now, I have a hard time be- Claudia Moessinger is an English mance and every interview with lieving it is really true — that a fig- major and the news editor for The G&G gave young romantics like ure of perfect health who radiated Retriever myself hope that love was well and such happiness and joy is dead of alive outside of the Brothers a heart attack, leaving behind a 24- Grimm and Hollywood movies. year-old widow and a three-year- Katya was not the only starry-eyed old daughter. girl who melted from the intense I can not help but wonder what looks of Sergei Grinkov. will now happen to Katya, a The love between the pair woman who fell in love with Sergei seemed to grow even stronger af- when she was barely a teenager. Usu- ter the birth of their daughter. Daria ally most people find the strength to was a beautiful, flaxen-haired child cope with upsetting situations through who was often shown playing with their work. When pairs skater Barbara her doting parents, who fitted her Underhill lost one of her children to 2L*c^ifl^ with tiny white skates when she accidental drowning, she recovered became old enough to walk and through skating, gaining strength and Courtesy of Discover "Stars on Ice "