There is an interesting case before the court in Pretoria, South Africa which is sad in many ways, even nostalgic for those who have seen Oscar Pistorius, known as ‘the Blade Runner,’ run to victory. The different shades of gray in a man end up destroying him. People read all about it. They are fascinated. They ask themselves, how can a person bring his self destruction? Oscar Pistorius, ‘the Blade Runner’ is a recent case in point. He had everything: riches, fame, a victorious success as ‘the Blade Runner, adulation from his fans, the love of a beautiful girl and he threw it all away. In a violent revelation of the shades of gray in his character, in a fit of anger, he did the unforgivable. He shot his love. Blinded by jealousy to the drastic consequences to change his life and career forever, he shot his beautiful girlfriend. He took an innocent life. And now, realization has set in, and he realizes the fatal mistake he has made. He sees the end to his fanciful life as he knew it. In a whirlwind of conjecture to save himself, the Blade Runner has come up with the most incredible excuses to defend himself for murdering his love. He told the jury that he shot his girlfriend through the bathroom door because he thought she was a burglar who had come in the house and locked himself in their bathroom. He says that the female shouts for help that the neighbors confirm that they heard were not his girlfriend’s but his own shouts of horror. What is really incredible is that you look at the man. He has no legs. He overcame adversity having his legs amputated below the knees at eleven months. He learned to walk with prosthetics. Not only did he learn to walk with prosthetics, he learned to run and he learned to run fast as the wind. He was a winner. He was victorious. He stands tall, handsome, slender, rich and famous and more than likely, he will be getting life in prison. South Africa has no death penalty since they abolished it in 1995. But think, what could be worse than a life in prison without her love, her arms, her companionship? What would be his life without his friends, the freedom to move, to ever run again, to exercise, go wherever he wants to go? Shades of gray in a man, and he lost it all.
