I went. I ran (okay I walked). I won!

Yes! I did! I really did win at the marathon! Second prize! I won just for being me! I arrived early in the morning at the almost unspeakable hour of (six). I did a lot of walking. That was before the marathon even began. Then this lady told me to walk some more to a different gate where all the costumed people were. So I did. And I took part in a costume competition, and guess what? I came second! Isn't it lovely?

And I got to meet so many interesting people. A condom lady, a devil lady, a one-eyed techie, a pirate, an anti-pirate, some trees, lots of animals and I even met a peacock man! It was all very hot and sweaty but it was tons of fun and I think I've lost some weight. I also got to meet lots of very sweet children! Like the beautiful princess Malaika, and a monk called Siddharth. Even though he had lost his Ferrari, he just beamed out the most wonderful smile I've ever seen. And this sweet little baby who didn't like all the noise, but fortunately I had some cotton wool in my make-up kit in my handbag, so I gave some to his daddy, and he put it in the baby's ears and after that he was fine.

After that costume competition I got a big giant cheque for twenty thousand rupees only, and it says I am offically now Sakkat Bangalorean Number Two. (That means I came second. It doesn't mean the other Number Two). And Sakkat Bangalorean means I am a really strong Bangalooraloo person. I feel proud that people said that about me. It makes me feel nice inside.

And I got to stand on a podium and got the big giant cheque and a bunch of flowers (carnations, my dear! They're in a vase in the sitting room now!) from a handsome young man whose phone number I forgot to take. I don't know what to do with the money. I think I will buy presents for my favourite people, and some money for my friends who Dream A Dream because it's very important to dream dreams and never give up on them, and some for a nice running track for a little twelve year old girl who can do the 100 metres in just 14 seconds, barefoot! And also I will buy a microwave oven, which is a present for me, because I am also one of my favourite people.

After that, lots of people with cameras and microphones wanted to take my picture and ask me questions, so I told them all about Dr Clown and also about Child Sexual Abuse because I was in the marathon to support Tulir, an NGO that has a Centre for Prevention and Healing of Child Sexual Abuse. I like Tulir a lot because they do so much to help children, and I don't like child abuse at all. It just doesn't make sense, does it? But it happens. So I think it's important to try and help in any way so that it can stop happening and then children can just grow up nicely and not have those pains and fears and sadnesses and then they'd grow up and be sad or angry grownups. It's very difficult to be a sad and angry grownup, and not be able to enjoy so many of the nice things of life and my goodness it's so unnecessary if we just looked after the children nicely so they didn't have to grow up that way! So I supported Tulir and told everyone about them.

It was really nice to see so many people there supporting so many different causes. It wasn't just nice, it was wonderful. That Kanteerva Stadium was just buzzing with good vibrations, all those people full of positive vibes, everyone doing something about something, to make the world a better place. That's what it's all about, I think. I hope we keep doing it. That way if we get reborn then we'll come back to a really nice world. That would be fun. Well .. actually it already is a really nice world. I just want it to get nicer and nicer, so that every generation can have fun stuff and happy memories.

Oh. It's really thundery outside. Long-playing thunder that just goes on and on, and it's raining a lot too. I wonder if the peacock man is dancing. He said something about liking to dance in the rain. Or maybe it was before the rain. I forget. Whatever. I hope he's dancing. It's good for the soul, dancing is.

It's been such a happy day for me. The most exciting part was when the ladies came running back into the stadium at the end of their 10K run. You could feel the stadium getting excited and I got excited too and wanted to run behind them (but I couldn't because I was in a different place). And another nice part of today was that there was so many people happy to see me. I felt like a movie star, cos they all wanted to take pictures with me, and they were all smiling and laughing. Just think, now there's hundreds of people tonight in Bangalooraloo, with pictures of me smiling at them on their mobile phones. I'm glad they get to keep my smile.

Oh there's the thunder again. It's a bit scary. I think I better stop writing because the electric city may go off. But before I end I just have to say OH GUESS WHAT I saw myself on TV tonight after dinner. It's the first time I saw myself from outside of myself. I got to see what everyone else sees when they look at Gladys. I just realised I'm a very funny old lady. I like me.

So that's all for now. Before the next thundery thunder starts, I'm off to bed. Good night!