Amidst the drama of Friday night’s failure to qualify for the 200m freestyle final, Ian Thorpe could be forgiven for wanting a quick get away from the pool.
He’d warmed down, resisted the urge to cry on the massage table and detailed the foreign feeling of disappointment to a room packed with cameras and reporters.
Now, just 20 metres separated the five-time Olympic gold medallist from his car.
But the life of Thorpe is never quiet.
A group of young swimmers had waited in the cold Adelaide night.
Trickett, Schipper, Coutts and Jones had all filtered by.
They could’ve filled two autograph books already, but the one man they wanted to see had not yet emerged.
He could’ve been excused had he walked a little quicker, got in his car and drove off.
After all, this had been a night where, in his own words, “the fairytale” had become “a nightmare”.
Instead, with his every step greeted by teenage screams, Thorpe slowed, placed his bag on the ground, smiled for cameras and signed his name like he has thousands of times throughout his career.
He probably wanted to play hero about as much as kids want to eat vegetables, but he did anyway.
To his credit Thorpe has hardly been elusive during the Olympic trials.
Their has been no secret arrivals, no underground tunnel entrances and no security guards shielding him from every reporter (this columnist included) who ask him for a comment.
You could argue that he brought the attention upon himself by returning to the pool 14-months ago.
But the type of spotlight Thorpe has and will remain under until he retires again is reserved solely for him.
You may not think giving another five minutes of his time is much of a big deal, but athletes who ignore fans is one of my pet hates.
They’re seen as god-like figures and the impact of a high five can have immeasurable effects.
Those who walked away with Thorpe’s name scribbled on posters, jackets and tickets were treated to a display of class they’ll remember for some time.
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