Friday, September 16, 2022

The Poland problem

 





I have a co-worker from Poland. Every Summer this co-worker manages to get a leave of absence and heads back to Warsaw for three months or so. I would describe myself as overall neutral as regards this co-worker. They are neither anathema to me, nor a favorite, but balance a unique perspective with deranged politics, and an agreeable disaffectedness with a kind of grumpy withdrawal.

Anyway the word filtered along this week that after many months this co-worker was returning from Poland! And though, like I said, I am pretty neutral as regards this person, I got a little excited to hear they were coming back. And it was all for one reason: Robert Lewandowski.

Robert Lewandowski is the greatest Polish soccer player ever, which maybe isn't saying a lot, but there is a very good argument that he is the greatest soccer player in the whole world right now, which is actually saying quite a bit. Not only that, this brilliant athlete joined my beloved Barcelona Football Club during the Summer. And, so far, he has been utterly fantastic!

Robert Lewandowski, at 34 years old, is almost certainly in the last year of two (at best) of his formidable athletic peak. And through his estimable career I have been at times distantly admiring, and at other times a victim of his through my teams, and so, overall, like with my Polish co-worker, a neutral. 

But now I am a huge fan!

And so with relish I anticipate the return of my Polish co-worker so that I can say "The great Polish striker Lewandowski has joined my team! I am so excited. What's the word on the streets of Warsaw about Lewandowski and Barcelona?"

At which point, as I know from long experience with this person, they will roll their eyes, groan, and say in a Polish accent "Ach, I am so sick of hearing about Robert Lewandowski!"

And all equilibrium will be restored.



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