Name dropper

Since some of you have already discovered that I am a namedropper and since the Olympics are happpening at this time, I have to tell you about a HUGE NAME.

In 1936 the Olympics were happpening in Germany. Hitler was very insulting regarding USA's black athletes. Jesse Owens was America's hero and he succeeded beyond all hopes. We in Sweden were glued to our radios. We had some Scandinavian athletes we were rooting for, but most of all we were cheering for Jesse Owens. After the Olympics, Jesse Owens and a discus thrower named Carpenter or Carpentier came to Sweden and our School and another school for girls were assigned the hostessing duties for the two of them. We arranged a 'tea dansant' and Mr. Owens was kind enough to dance with each of the hostesses. I don't remember any details -- I was in ecstasy!

While looking through a stack of old papers, I came across my favorite poem. I like it because I feel it was written about me!

THREE TAME DUCKS (author unknown)

There are three tame ducks in our backyard,
dabbling in mud and trying hard
to get their share and maybe more
of the overflowing barnyard store,
satisfied with the task they are at
of eating and sleeping and getting fat.
But whenever the free wild ducks go by
in a long line streaming down the sky
they cock a quizzical, puzzled eye
and flap their wings and try to fly.

I think my soul is a tame old duck
dabbling around in barnyard muck,
fat and lazy with useless wings.
But sometimes when the northwind sings
and the wild ones hurtle overhead,
it remembers something lost and dead
and cocks a wary bewildered eye
and makes a febble attempt to fly.
It's fairly content with the state it's in
but it isn't the duck it might have been.

What an interesting connection! The Olympics are on TV and I find this long lost poem. Hmmmmmmm.