Easy victory

WE used to bow respectfully to medal winners, thinking of all the competition they'd vanquished. But we'll never look at things quite the same way again. Not since we learned that one dog of our acquaintance, with more medals than a Soviet commissar, has never beaten another living thing. His secret? He wins because often nobody else shows up.

He's one of that peculiar-looking breed called Skye terrier. Nobody but another young Skye terrier can compete against him because nobody has a body like a long-eared Skye terrier's. ``A rabbit that looks like a dog,'' yelped a little boy, pointing. ``A hot dog with fur,'' barked someone else. Lots of fur.

He may lack pulchritude. But he does have the system figured out.

Other kinds of contestants might yearn to walk in his solitary pawprints: runners, tennis players, high school test takers. Ah, to win first place just by showing up!

On the other hand, who'd want to go through life looking like a Skye terrier? Maybe he deserves his medals after all. ----30{et