Muscles Like a Greek God

Muscles like a Greek god

When I was eleven, I was in my senior school first year. After the games lesson of football, we had just gone through the shower, which was freezing cold, before we got changed. We would run through as quick as possible and come out the other side still caked in mud.

While drying off, one of my school mates made a comment that I was skinny. I felt a little put out because I thought he was quite tubby. For a moment or two I reflected and began to grow more indignant by his comment - the way an eleven year old might.

Only a few days earlier, when at home, my mother said I was developing and growing - the way most mums like to big their sons up on occasion. Being a little naive, I took everything she said very literally. She said to my sister, "That boy is getting muscles like a Greek god." She was taking the piss, but at the time I sucked it all in.

Therefore, back in the changing room, and with ill deserved confidence, I retorted to my tubby friend, "I've got muscles like a Greek god."

"Who told you that boyo?" It was my Welsh PE teacher who over heard what was said.

"Me mum," I replied suddenly feeling a bit of a plonker.

When the PE teacher creased up holding his stomach with laughter, I knew I had dropped a bit of a clanger. Suddenly the rest of the class were laughing too. I wanted Scotty from STAR TREK to beam me up. It was at that moment, I learnt not to take everything my mum said literally - everyone thinks their own kids are marvelous - especially mums.