In 1985 our condo community, named Huntington Lakes, which I believe was named for some Englishman whose whereabouts no one knows. decided to inaugurate an event or events dubbed "The Senior Olympics." I believe the word, Olympics, is copyrighted, but no one seems to care. Twenty four years later, every spring, just as sure as the groundhog comes out of his hibernation, the Olympics is still being held. In its first year there was a six mile walk (which I won--against a woman entrant, yet); a golf tournament, racquet ball, golf, and tennis tournaments; shuffleboard contests, and swimming races. There may have been some other events, but that was 24 years ago and memory fails me. All I can remember is that besides the walk, I won the swimming events--freestyle and backstroke, the golf tournament, and the racquet ball contest. And because I garnered the most "gold" medals (challenging Michael Phelps) I received the biggest trophy I ever earned. Unfortunately, in the following year, the Olympic "committee" eliminated the six mile walk, the freestyle and backstroke swim, and the racquet ball contest. They were also thinking about eliminating the golf tournament, but all the golfers would have called for a strike. The walk, the swimming, and the racquet ball contests were replaced by ping pong, canasta, and billiards. Needless to say, I have never won another trophy.
Since I decided not to teach another class, I've been dumping many of my treasured books--books that helped me through college and many reference books that aided me in teaching Shakespeare courses. The fact is that my clothes closet has more books than clothes. Thus far, of course, I decided to keep one book of Shakespeare's plays and a couple by Jane Austen. I came across "War and Peace" by Tolstoy which I had forgotten about. It will probably leave no room in the dumpster for newspapers. I also cannot dump my "Canterbury Tales" and "Paradise Lost." I'm keeping "The Complete Greek Drama" for sentimental reasons and "The Classical Handbook" out of necessity. Roget's "Thesaurus" stays and also Bartlett's "Book of Quotations." Inevitably, someone will ask me where a quote comes from, and I don't want to appear stupid. But other books on the death watch are novels by Dickens and George Eliot. I can't destroy "Look Homeward, Angel" by Thomas Wolfe because it's my favorite all time book. Out of the top ten, it's number one. Wow, could that man write! There are still a library of books in my closet--let alone what might be in Rhoda's closet. But the Book Patrol is on the march.
I still have not had my partial or bridge fixed, although I can eat soft foods like pasta, blintzes, fish, etc. if I use Poly Grip to hold the device in my mouth. I never had to use that glue before, and I'm sure it's a temporary measure before the thing is fixed. Problem is that while I'm dining, the thing pops out of my mouth. Perhaps I'll try Elmer's Glue.
Dear Best Writer Not Enough People Know (Yet),
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your kindness in dedicating your magnificent volume to me. It is hard to believe that it has been more than 52 years since our orbits first crossed.
Whatever the years have done to your body, your mind has remained as razor sharp as it was when Ross Plans were improving the caliber of life at North Shore.
Some of the continuing and growing intelligence may certainly be attributed to your wife and children as you must be both brilliant and wily to keep up with them. However, the bulk of the credit goes to the Doc himself, whose inner flame continues to burn brightly and whose mind sucks up information as kids once devoured baseball stats.
Norman, I cannot possibly think of you as 85, especially when you continue to amaze with the highest level of thought and awareness of what is really important in life. You obviously have many more years to spread the sunshine of your soul to your family and friends. AND DON'T YOU FORGET IT!
When I was a pre-teen, I memorized Invictus (which made the Norrho list of favorites) because it summed up how I wanted to behave. Hemingway's, "Grace Under Pressure" was another facet of my projected role in life. As Henley said:
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishment the scroll,
I am the master of my fate;
I am the captain of my soul.
Many people have said these words but few have been able to live up to them. You are one of the few. Warrior, athlete, scholar, master teacher, and, maybe most important, parent--Norman Ross, you are a credit to your race--the human race.
Love to you and all the worthy Rosses.