“Thaaththa,” Bindu Udagedera asked, “what will happen at the Olympic Games?”
“Why, Bindu,” Bindu’s father Percy asked, “why are you worried about the Olympic Games now?”
“Well,” Bindu said, “they must be pretty important for us…”

“Why do you say that?” Percy wanted to know, “I thought the Sabaragamuwa and Uthuru Meda games are more important…”
“Why, thaaththa, even Mahinda maama has gone to Beijing for the games, so it must be quite significant for our country, or else he wouldn’t want to be there…” Bindu suggested.

“I am not so sure about that,” Percy declared.
“How can you say that, thaaththa?” Bindu queried, “won’t we have any chance of winning a medal at all?”
“I suppose we have, because we won a medal eight years ago, remember?” Percy recalled.
“Then,” Bindu said, “surely we have a chance of winning a medal this year too…”

“But,” Percy said, “I am not so sure whether the sports we could win medals in, are being played at the Olympics…”
“Why do you say that, thaaththa,” Bindu asked, “is it because cricket is not being played at the Olympics?”
“Well,” Percy said, “it is true that cricket is not being played at the Olympics but even if they did play, we wouldn’t have won any medals if our team play like they played at Galle …”

“Then, what other sports are you thinking of?” Bindu wanted to know.
“Well,” Percy proposed, “there are certain sports where we could have easily been world beaters and won gold meals…”

“And what sports are these, thaaththa?” Bindu queried.
“Why, Bindu, if they give medals for the number of ministers in the cabinet, we will definitely win a gold medal…” Percy pointed out.

“I suppose so,” Bindu agreed, “but Mahinda maama thinks they are all needed which is probably why he has appointed them…”
“Then,” Percy suggested, “if they award medals for the most number of people convicted by courts but still remaining in office, I am sure we will win a gold medal for that too…”
“Why do you say that, thaaththa?” Bindu wondered.

“Why, we have a minister, a non-cabinet minister and a treasury secretary who have all been convicted by the courts but are still remaining in office…” Percy pointed out.
“That maybe true, thaaththa,” Bindu said, “but I’m sure they have their reasons for doing that…”
“Then,” Percy said, “if they awarded medals for the most number of parliamentarians elected from the opposition but now sitting on the government side, I am sure we will get a gold medal there too...”
“I think there is a definite chance of winning a medal there…” Bindu agreed.

“Then, maybe they should award a medal for the number of political parties that have been split and we could win a medal for that too…” Percy proposed.

“Why, thaaththa, what about the number of media men that have been abducted, jailed, assaulted or killed?” Bindu asked, “we could have easily won a gold medal for that if it was included in the Olympics…”
“That is true, Bindu,” Percy agreed, “but don’t forget there are other medals to be won as well…”
“What medals are those, thaaththa?” Bindu inquired.

“Why, the Green Man would have easily won the gold medal for the most number of elections lost as a party leader…” Percy observed. “But then,” Bindu countered, “he would also win the gold medal for surviving the most number of attempts to oust him…”

“But, speaking of elections,” Percy said, “since the Olympics are ending on the 24th of this month, we might be able to win one more gold medal, Bindu…”

“And what medal would that be?” Bindu wanted to know.

“Why, Bindu, the provincial council elections are being held on the 23rd, aren’t they? We might be just in time to win a gold medal for election malpractices too…”
Bindu didn’t want to disagree with that.