The Olympics are back, I wrote some short stories five years ago about the Rio games, but I want to write a story about the Tokyo games as well.
The games haven't started yet, but I was on the plane from Oslo to Tokyo the other day for business. I run a little business together with a friend selling custom bricks for special walls all around the world. Now I'm going to Japan for a convention that's being held every now and then. There will be buyers from all kind of companies all over. My company make the most expensive ones, but to be honest, not the best ones. But this is business, if stupid people want to pay, I want to sell. By coincidence I choose to go to a business meetings during the Olympic games – despite the Covid situation.
As I arrived at the Gardermoen airport outside of Oslo I was pleased to see that I would take the same plane as the Norwegian Olympic team to Tokyo. I know most of the athletes, of course. That being said, I know most of the female athletes from TV and Insta****. Security was without problems, I got myself some food at a restaurant not far from the gate, as I noticed the troop entering the gate. We got the throwers, the rowers, the handball teams for men and women and the judo, the gymnasts and everyone. I sat there silently telling all the names. Then, the last one was the Norwegian gymnast, a girl I couldn't recognize. I got my phone and looked up her name. I had never seen her before, which was strange. Luckily she had Insta****, but unluckily it wasn't much on there. She was not very known, and had qualified just before the squad was named.
Her name is Susann, it turns out she's only 17 and a hope for the future. So she's going to the Olympics to learn. Maybe in three years she'll be a Paris medal candidate. It was easy to see that she's a gymnast, as she's not very tall.
I ate my salmon sandwich, paid and went to the gate. The athletes were all having a good time, playing cards and laughing and walking around speaking with each other. It seems that many knew each other well, but Susann was sitting alone in a corner. I checked my phone and the head news was that her coach had caught Covid and wasn't allowed to go to Tokyo, no wonder she was feeling down.
I got on the plane, I was on business class and could enter first. As I got on board, I greeted some athletes and told them good luck. They all smiled and said thank you. I found my seat, and sat down. The stewardess brought me my welcome champagne.
My neighbor seat was free. I guess the person who had it didn't want to go abroad after all. As the plane was taxing out the stewardess came and said that the seat would soon be seated, and it was a pleasant surprise to see that Susann was going to be my neighbor for the next 11 hours.
Susann sat down and I nodded. She smiled and said her name. -John, I answered. It turned out the captain had also read that her coach was not coming so he had told the stewardess to move her to the business class. Her lucky day, so to say. But it would be my lucky day too!
As a short girl she wasn't tall enough to put her belongings in the compartment above her seat, so I helped her with that. That loosened the ice and we started to speak. She was wearing her team uniform, a red-white-blue jacket and pants. But she wanted to get into some more comfortable, she said. I asked if I should get her something from the storage, but she said she could do it herself. The next thing I see is the petite girl grabbing the handle underneath the storage and pulling herself up. Then she lets one arm free, opens the shelf door and holding herself with only one arm while she gets her sweater. It all takes some time to fix, but it seems like the easiest thing to do. Through the sleeve on her jacket I can see her biceps working. It's stretching the fabric right under her shoulder. I can see this girl has power!
After what seemed to be a minute, but probably was shorter, she lowers herself down with everything she needs. -Wow, I said, you're strong, I could not have done that. She laughs and says that that's what gymnastics is about. -Many think it's about being graceful and slim, the truth is it's all about strength. And I was about to find out more.
She then took of her jacket. -Oh, she says, you see, where I come from in the gym we don't mind changing in public, but maybe in business class this is inappropriate? Underneath the jacked she had a tight shirt with the Norwegian flag on the chest. But under the flag I could see that this girl was all muscles. Through the middle and down I could see a deep valley – almost like a river with side rivers. Even with the shirt it was impossible to hide a six pack that looked so strong, it put a brick wall to shame. On her arms I could clearly see her biceps through the shirt. One of them bigger than the other after the recent pump.
She put on her sweater and sat down.
-I couldn't help but notice your stomach, I said. Lots of training for that one. She laugh at my comment and lifts her sweater and shirt up so I can see the lower abs.
-You know, as I said, gymnastics is about strength. That means muscles, but I'm not too happy about them, in school students look weird at me. For me muscles are a tool. But I don't mind, she laughs again and the lower abs contracts and flexes with her laughing.
I was impressed. And as a sports idiot I have always liked the girls with abs best. And now I'm here with one who has a perfect set of them. Too bad I wasn't going to see them all.
We both went asleep, the hours went. I woke up and went to the toilet. It was somewhere above Siberia and it was not a light to see on the ground. When I got close to the lavatory I heard noises coming from the corridor and there was Susann doing a little workout. -I have to do some exercise, she says smiling to me. It's too boring sitting on my ass for 11 hours. Sweat was coming from her forehead. Then she lays down and does 20 fast push ups. Then on her back doing 20 sit ups.
I went to the toilet, and when I came out Susann was still doing her things. -Aren't you tired, I asked. But she just kept on so I went back to my seat. After 15 minutes she came back smiling and clearly happy that she was able to move a little.
The stewardess had seen the whole thing and came and asked if she wanted anything to drink. -No, she said. Then I whispered that it's all free on business class, and she asked for some juice. -You're sure you don't want red wine, the stewardess asked as a joke, knowing the age of the girl and that she would say no anyways to alcohol. -I'll get you the best non alcoholic beverage. She came back with a glass of fresh pressed strawberry juice.
Susanne then took her sweater of, she was hot from her session. And of course she did what she was not supposed to do, she hit the glass of juice and spilled it all over her shirt, so she got a big red stain all over her stomach. The fabric stuck to her skin and her abs were now fully on display, just that they were red and not skin color. -Oh no, she says nervously. The team will think it's wine. She was almost crying. The stewardess heard her and sprinted over. -I'll fix it, I'll help you, she said. But I need the shirt.
Susann then tried to take her shirt of, but it was stuck to her skin. The stewardess was holding the glass with the rest of the juice, so Susann looked to me and I understood that I needed to help. So I got up and grabbed the bottom of the shirt. In order to get it loose I had to put my hand underneath it which also meant I had to touch her abs. They were warm and wet from the juice. But mostly I could feel their hardness. Trying not to be too obvious, I felt her abs at the same time as I was lifting her shirt. As the shirt came of I could see her abs. They were tanned from the Norwegian summer. Six humps in two rows going down her stomach. She was wearing a sports bra that didn't have any red strawberry spots. Then her biceps came to display. Big and round. Again I felt their hardness, but pretending I was only being helpful. As I thought this was it I saw her traps. Holy, her neck was like a big muscle.
She turned to the stewardess and gave her the shirt. That's when I noticed her waist and back. Her back was twice the size of her waist. I don't understand how she got her arms close to her torso, because of her wings. I swear she could have been on stage in a fitness competition without any more preparations.
-Thank you, she said to both me and the stewardess. I sat down. Next to me Susann was still standing. Then she reached for the shelf again to get her jacket that she had previously taken of. Again she lifted herself up and let one hand loose to find the jacket, but this time I could see all her muscles working. How her biceps grew when she lifted herself. How her abs contracted when she was keeping balance. How her back expanded and her traps when using all her upper body.
As soon as she sat down a familiar voice came, -this is the captain speaking. We were set for landing. The stewardess came back with the shirt. And we said good bye and good luck in the Games.
But one thought had grown in me. I had to get her a sponsorship. My brick company and her brick abs had to get together at some point in a commercial.
