Boxing fan Burroughs

I was going to travel to NYC again, short for New York City; I love it in New York; especially Central Park; the Museum is great too, and of course the Empire State Building. Wow, what a museum, the Metropolitan, that’s my choice. Then I like to walk down the street, and there’s the big billboard: The Tonight Show, which I’ve never been to, but its location in all my travels; but one time my wife and I went downstairs to see if we could get in, on August 14, 2001. They were on some kind of break. We met Rufered at the “Hello Deli”; she had one of his famous sandwiches. He often helps Mr. Dave Letterman with some pranks that he pulls during his shows; she has a photo with him. I like them both better. This would be my fourth trip to the great city of the Atlantic. I like Paris even better, I hate to say it. But New York is a good runner-up.

Time Tunnel

I can never say when it’s going to happen, but it’s becoming normal, suddenly I was there. I was in a hallway in New York City, looking at some photos on the wall and waiting. My brother was with me. A man got out, named Ed; I guess he knew him from somewhere. I couldn’t quite place him, but I introduced him to my brother. My brother is some kind of photographer, an independent contractor I guess. He travels all over the country, and many of the many photos of him that he took of me, he sold many to textbooks and magazines. He has his own picture vaults somewhere in Arizona; maybe it’s New Mexico, Haw…! Somewhere in the West. He has done a few trips abroad, but not much, or should I say, like me. I’m not sure if that needs to be said. But my mind is racing. I like being in New York City.

I realized it while introducing my brother to Ed, the former world boxing champion, Fraaaaz… that’s all I could read. I think it was Frazer, but I can’t be sure. He had an office in the same building, upstairs on the second or third floor. I should go see him, I told myself, maybe it’s Frazer. He had seen all his fights. I have all his fights on tape, I mean most of his fights on tape. He is an aggressive boxer. And he has a heart. He never stops. I don’t think he got the acclaim he deserves: like Ali, with the big mouth. I like him too, and he was great, but that mouth. I guess that’s what people buy. Like cigarettes, package it well and it will sell.

I remember most of his fights too, that’s Ali. But then there are about six boxers that I really like. Sullivan [I have a signature of his]; jack dempsey [I got a letter by him], [Ali, I have a signed glove of his]; and Frazer, I have something on him, but I can say it right now. They were the best of the best. Oh, I forgot about one, Marc… (someone), never beaten champion; I have a… something signed by him too. But no one could take a hit like Frazer, and come back like he did, and fight. It was like the Spartans of Greece. A warrior among warriors; Ali, God bless his soul, he was a great fighter, with heart, and he used a lot of psychology in his fights, but… I’m getting too much into this boxing mode; back to New York.

As I was saying, her name was on this list I was reading on the side of the wall, I just couldn’t tell for sure. I just couldn’t make out the last letters, Fraaaaaa…r. She worked for Ed anyway. What photo would that be? I collect autographs, a little. I would have liked to take him for a ride if he had been in my hometown and shown it to my friends and neighborhood. In any case, my brother was talking to Ed, and I had to go pretty well in peace: let them talk. So I said it, and it must have flown over Ed’s head, because he was talking business with my brother.

Well in the blink of an eye I found myself in upstate New York [that time warp again], for the great state of Massachusetts. I had visited a town over there, many years ago, in that area. I wasn’t far from that beautiful town either, it was called Stockbridge. But that was not my destination on this trip. I was in this small country town, not much good to say about it in particular. Actually, everyone was busy selling everything and closing it down. I didn’t see my brother around here, but I think this was where we were supposed to be, for him to take pictures; For me, I’m still not sure why I’m (was) here. For my brother, this could be a great opportunity to capture budding posterity. You know, they show them pictures fifty years from now, how it used to be. You know the closure of a great little town. But I didn’t see anything good around here.

In any case, he was alone. My brother when he has a camera in his hands, you would assume that you will see him fifteen minutes before leaving that city. But he does his thing and I do mine. He is two years older than me. I’m not sure if that makes any difference, he did it when I was 5 or 12. Maybe at 15, he made a difference. Actually, I was wondering why I didn’t go upstairs and see if the former world champion was who I thought he was. His office wasn’t that far. Get that photo. But now I remember that he didn’t have a camera. Get that autograph.

As I searched the city all day, I couldn’t seem to get anywhere, and the skies were beginning to darken, you know, nightfall. I mean, a bit dark. I ended up in this big warehouse. I climbed on top of some logs, very high, very high on piles of logs; Previously I had just found a different type of old film camera. It looked more like a VCR rewinder, but it said movie camera. I never take them with me on my travels, they take a long time to play with, and when you take the film, you lost the thrill of the moment. I was whale watching in Maui once and took several photos of a thirty foot whale. After the experience, I asked the boy who was standing next to me how the whale was doing, since he had the film camera. He said wait a minute, I’m going to have to replay it. He said that he couldn’t really see much, taking the photo.

As I was saying, about to say anyway, here, here I am on top of this huge pile of wood looking around. Some old ladies were doing some calculations in the frontal area to the side when I walked in, I noticed. I think they were counting the money they made selling things. Now that he was deeply embedded in the warehouse, he could no longer see or hear them. Actually I think they left. I started to move and stumbled. All my money came out of my pockets. I was hesitant to take any of it, but then started doing it anyway. I felt I was in a danger zone and heard vices. The criminal type, and then I said: to myself: this change of money that I dropped, it is not going to make or break me, leave it. My life could be in trouble. So I did it. As he walked down the steps, Ed walked by looking for me. I think he had mentioned my name. Thought I’d get that picture of the Boxer now, not sure why, the moment didn’t call for it, that’s for sure. Now I had a movie camera (I took it).

When I got to the bottom of the woodpile, I found the way out of the warehouse. While trying to find my transportation back home, I was trying to hide my new camera. Someone then asked if he had seen one. I thought in my head, wait a minute, you left it there, I found it. But I really didn’t need it. When the person wasn’t looking, I put it in a wooden box and got on the train. I expected to meet my brother and Ed there.

When I got home, I looked around my apartment. He had already signed a 3 x 5 card from the world champion, Joe Frazer. He had bought it a few years ago. But I guess he wanted to get one, or go one step beyond the signing-buying stage and meet the champion. That is, wanting to meet him was a desire, not a need. It’s a funny thing in life, opportunities, choices and decisions. As Mr. Robert Frost once said in his poem “The Road Less Travelled”, move or remain obsolete; he didn’t say that, it’s just what I got out; or like he came out of it; one turn could make a world of difference, or a lifetime of differences. I agree with that. If I hadn’t bought property a few years ago, I wouldn’t have been able to go to New York City, therefore I wouldn’t have been able to write this story, get that camera, take that train, or even buy that firm; and so on and so on.

Another thing that comes to mind is: when you open a door for someone, you also do it for yourself. I’m not sure what door I opened in this story is or was: my brother and Ed never met me. They must have gone their own way. And what did I learn on this journey (?) And so, it was a door that did not open, and a path that was not taken. But I couldn’t find the door. And to be honest, it turned out fine, and I really don’t want to know what would have happened if I had picked up the change; either he found that door, or he didn’t make it to the train; or pushed my way into the Champs office; I called my brother to introduce Ed. One thing leads to another. I had a good trip, that’s good enough. I have learned in my many trips, that the good and the bad moments are made by you, not the companions. If you have one of them, it is better that you travel alone. If the people are in good company, forget what I said.

I once met a woman in a small town in Iceland; We were in a group on a boat looking for whales. She said that she was a bit lonely. So I took her to a cafe in town and ate whale meat. For whale lovers, it’s legal there. And the whale tastes good, good, good. In any case, we became friends. When she got to her house in Florida, she continued to write to me. And then she went to England with a girlfriend. She answered me and said: now I know the difference between traveling alone and traveling alone. having to have someone with you (someone who annoys you and therefore irritates you). She explained that she couldn’t go anywhere without complaining. Thinking it was her job to entertain her. Now she travels alone. I did it for 25 of the 34 years of travel, solo travel, and bro, I don’t regret a minute of it.