Sunday, April 11, 2010

the Inventor of Marco Polo

Dear Inventor of Marco Polo,

Thank you. Thank you for immortalizing an ancient explorer through a game where children can swim blindly until, inevitably, someone smacks their face into a cement wall. A game where fish can be out of water -- as long as no one knows about it.

You have not only invented a staple of pool fun and shaped our views of history, you have changed the name Marco forever. It's because of you that Marcos everywhere will live a life where each time someone calls their name, a chorused echo of 'Polo' follows. Will it annoy them? Surely. But it's not your fault you invented a catchy game.

Indeed, inventor of Marco Polo man, in my book, you are a legend. You are a man whose only shortcoming is that you didn't labor further to extend the principles of Marco Polo to other athletic arenas. Who wouldn't want to play tennis shouting, "Andre...Agassi," or box blindly, "Mike...Tyson," or hunt deer amidst a refrain of, "Dick...Cheney"?

Thank you inventor of Marco Polo. You are a person of genius.

Will anyone ever yell at you, 'fish out of water!'? ....Only if the water is mediocrity.

Sincerely,

Swimmers Everywhere

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