It’s hard to convey just how many “helpers” there are at these Olympics. Tens of thousands. Hundreds of thousands.

They are on every corner. At every turn in a venue corridor.  They ride on every bus, open every door, greet you before every meal, rush to bus your dishes after you finish.

They are hovering over you at breakfast. Trailing you down the hall in case you drop something. Following you into the bathroom to make sure things go OK. And I am only slightly exaggerating.

A couple of factors at work here.

–Enormous interest in these Olympics. This is China’s big moment, and the populace seems genuinely enthusiastic about being a part of it.

–Enormous population. Beijing alone has 13 million people. The country has 1.3 billion. Do the math. If even 1 percent sign up to help run the Beijing Games, that’s about 13 million volunteers.

Which means several hundred volunteers for every visitor. And it leaves foreigners rather boggled by it all.

I love the enthusiasm. I’m impressed by it.

Personally, though, it seems it’s a little over the top. A little much. I don’t mind puzzling a few things out myself. I really don’t.