I’ve agreed to take part in a
”
Beat the Queen
”
competition at this weekend’s Garlic Festival, squaring-off with
2006 Garlic Queen Sheena Torres. I’ll go through a three-part
gauntlet in which I could win, will more likely lose and most
likely will lose badly.
As if writing column after column about losing an NCAA office pool to a group of ladies who had never watched a single basketball game in their lives wasn’t embarrassing enough, I’ve decided to go double-or-nothing and show that I’m not scared of a good-natured challenge.
Only this time, I am a heavy, heavy underdog.
You know the feeling when you’ve just agreed to do something, and then it hits you that there’s an incredibly good chance you’re going to be made a fool of in front of a large group of people? If not, you’re either lucky or smart. If you’re me, though, it’s practically the first thing on your daily to-do list.
I’ve agreed to take part in a “Beat the Queen” competition at this weekend’s Garlic Festival, squaring-off with 2006 Garlic Queen Sheena Torres. I’ll go through a three-part gauntlet in which I could win, will more likely lose and most likely will lose badly.
The challenge will begin Sunday at 5 p.m. at the rock-climbing wall on the park side. After seeing who can scale the facade the fastest, we’ll move over to see who can braid garlic quicker. Then it’ll be a good, old-fashioned flame-off to see who can work up a taller skillet full of fire. I gave my challenger a call Thursday to see what I was up against, and for good reason The Queen was confident.
“I’ve got about 10 flame-ups under my belt,” Torres said, noting that a Garlic Queen is knowledgeable on just about everything that happens at the festival.
“You should wear a long-sleeve shirt, too,” she said. “I’d hate for you to walk away a loser and have all your arm hair gone.”
What have I done?
