Back to Culture Clash - Chapter 11
Chapter 12: The Competition
Two days later, in the office occupied by the Director of Exchange
Students for the University, Marcia was making a commitment. "I have
decided to compete for the University in the Pan-European games as a Danubian."
The Exchange Director responded with," How are you going to do that,
Marcia?"
"I will swim for the University, Ma'am, but it is my intent to do so
nude, as is the Danubian custom. I have committed myself to a full year
living as a Danubian, and I feel it would be an affront to the Danubian
culture to wear this."
Marcia held up a tiny nylon-spandex slip of material that represented
the University swim team competition suit. She then dropped it into the
trash can in the Exchange Director's office, and said, "Therefore,
should the University still wish me to compete in Munich, I shall do so
nude." She turned and left the Director's office before a word of
protest could be uttered.
Munich was known for its pageantry and pomp during athletic ceremonies
and competition. Two Olympic games and several Pan-European competitions
held there over the years had proved to the world that Munich knew how
to be a good host.
Three flights of Griffin Airways aircraft landed in Munich and
discharged the Military Corps of Cadets and their officer instructors
the evening before Marcia Shevat was to compete.
Rumors were already flying in the media that a non-conformist athlete
would be swimming in a non-traditional outfit. Most of the media were
speculating that Speedo or Tyr had come up with yet another variation of
the skin suit that had become popular in competitions in the past
several years.
The morning of the competition, the Corps of Cadets marched in formation
from the hotel hosting them to the Aquatic Stadium and took their seats.
At ten o'clock in the morning Marcia Shevat's first event was called. It
was the one-hundred-meter freestyle, one length down the pool and one
back up to the starting blocks.
The announcer gave the name and the university each athlete represented.
Marcia Shevat was announced as competing for both her home university
and the Military Academy of Danubia. A gasp collectively went out of the
audience, and several directors were told by their studios to cut live
feed to the event when Marcia stood on the starting block and waved to
the crowd.
The starter gun sounded and Marcia hit the water smoothly, cutting
through the pool like she had never done before. Her time at the turn
was less than a second off the record for this facility and when she
finished and touched the poolside, she was only three tenths of a second
off of that record. She won the event. The media, still blacking out the
fact that on the medal stand she was nude, panned to the cadets who had
risen and were singing the National Hymn of Danubia in Marcia Shevat's
honor. The flag bearing the Griffin Emblem of Danubia rose behind Marcia
as she was presented with the medal and a bouquet of flowers.
Still photographs of that presentation, with Marcia blocked by officials
or by the large flower bouquet, did make it on the news and into the
scandal sheets and gossip magazines around the world. One headline read,
"THE NEW SKIN SUIT. REAL SKIN".
The event committee politely asked the university to withdraw Marcia
from future events in the meet. Both the Danubian Military and Marcia's
home university declined just as politely. Marcia's relay team won their
event, and surprisingly the other three girls on the team appeared on
the medal stand nude, in support of Marcia. They also celebrated their
victory under the Danubian flag and with the Corps of Cadets singing the
National Hymn.
Marcia's second place finish for a silver medal in the Individual Medley
event finished her competition. The finish of that event was so close
the recording had to be played back in frame-by-frame stop action. In
the end the judges ruled a girl from Austria had touched the wall a
hundredth of a second before Marcia, giving the other girl the win.
The parade held in her honor from the Airport down the main streets of
Danubia City to the steps of the Defense Ministry Building in Government
Square was lined with every man, woman and child who could get free from
their daily work. The schools were closed for the day, and people leaned
out of every window of every building along the parade route to catch a
glimpse of the girl who had captured not only three medals but also the
hearts of the Danubian people.
Marcia, standing atop a horse drawn antique military ammunition carrier,
was naked except for her three medals. She proudly waved to the crowd,
while her mother and two brothers rode along the route in an open
carriage directly behind her caisson. With Brigadier Drakov and Colonel
Drakov astride horses and dressed in old style cavalry uniform riding
beside the caisson and the Siminov clan in a carriage in front of her,
Marcia was completely surrounded by her ‘family'.
At the Defense Ministry Building, a brief ceremony officially granting
Marcia dual citizenship was held and she was presented with a Danubian
medal of achievement. She in turn thanked the people of Danubia for
opening their homes, hearts and country to her and presented her three
medals to the Defense Ministry as a token of her thanks. Private
celebrations followed, with Marcia finally getting back into uniform.
First, she stopped at the Cadet Mess Hall where she thanked the Corps
for its support and for allowing her to be on their life path with them.
The next celebration was at the Officers Club. Brigadier Mykel Drakov
formally announced Instructor Shevat was out of uniform. Colonel Drakov
walked up to her and unpinned the "I" devices on her tunic and cap and
quickly replaced them with silver Griffin devices indicating she was
promoted to Junior Lieutenant.
"You can now hold that rank, Lieutenant, as you are now a citizen of Danubia," the Brigadier announced.
The final celebration was a very private one, in a very private place
with Lieutenant Mykel Drakov and Junior Lieutenant Marcia Shevat the
only ones in attendance. How they celebrated has not been documented.
