Prompt 3

           I’m sure everybody remembers the Manti Te’o story. He was a football star from Notre Dame who ended up being in a relationship with someone who never existed. It exploded all over the nation. This did not take place this year, it happened about over a year ago. Manti thought he was dating someone from another state. She ended up being not real at all. He maintained what he thought was an authentic relationship through online conversations and phone calls. All of what Nev did with this girl who turned out to be a middle-aged married woman. In a photo of Manti doing what he does best, playing football. A photo that has surfaced is of him running with the ball, helmet on and the background un-focused. There is a shield over his eyes on the helmet to protect them; the stadium lights have blocked them out, yet I can still see a glimpse of them. Some people believe you can read eyes. In the photo, I can believe it. His eyes are somewhat blocked out, but I also see something in them. I see fear. He is is running away from the truth with his job, playing football. He is covering up this relationship with football. He is blurring everyone out of the big picture. Unlike Nev’s case, as soon as Manti found out; everybody else did. He was blind to reality.