there was an interesting pointer to this from the nytimes
reminded me of a somerset maugham short story, where the narrator is told by an acquaintance (call him X) about someone who had gone to college with X, and had been a sporting hero therein, a "little tin god", i think he called him. the two meet up again somewhere in southeast asia (singapore?). the former golden boy, down on his luck, and alcoholic too, needs a job. X tells him he could give him a job if he could swim the straits, a rather tall order especially for someone who wasn't any longer in the prime of his health.
so ex-golden boy goes for the swim, and, predictably, doesn't make it back.
"well, it happens", says X. "and anyway, i didn't have a job for him right then".
amazing how college days don't really predict what you make of yourself later on, isn't it?
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