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| FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS | forsythnews.com
Remembering Muhammad Ali fondly
Saturday morning, a two
week’s ago, was a time for
gratitude. We had a gift
bestowed upon us, one that will
never be replaced or replicated.
The tributes airing continual
ly lent perspective, but it didn’t
take care of what the man had
meant to all of us during the
turbulent 60s.
When word came out that
Muhammad Ali had been
admitted to a Phoenix-area hos
pital, it was anything but good
news. The end was surely near.
It was with emptiness that I
paused, coffee cup in hand,
wanting to reflect as my mind
and memories were awash with
all the laughter and smiles he
leant to many of us.
Before we continue, let’s
remove the gloves and be per
fectly truthful. Ali wasn’t
beloved, revered and respected
by everyone. Just as many
found him as appalling.
Regardless, it was one heck
of a show.
My earliest memory of any
thing Ali was listening to the
radio with my dad in 1964 in
our old Plymouth. Waiting for
Can't let go of altar where Daddy prayed
Behind the little house in
which I spent a happy child
hood, where I toted books from
one room to another, where I
knelt by my bed nightly to pray,
where homemade biscuits but
tered and sprinkled with sugar
were a favorite treat, is a little
shed that, to the outside’ world,
is noted for its ugliness.
It is an ancient truck trailer
that, I feel certain, was given to
Daddy probably 50 years ago
by someone who was anxious
to unload the ghastly thing.
Daddy, never one to turn
down anything free that could
be used practically, had hauled
it to the backyard and settled it
near the barn. He filled it with
shelves and Mama joined him
in filling the shelves with
things like gas cans, old Mason
jars, garden hoses and anything
that should have been thrown
away but those children of the
Depression could not bear to be
HOROSCOPES by Holiday
It's the last day of the
Gemini sun in 2016. Did you
say what you wanted to say?
Play how you wanted to
play? Did the mischievous
energy of good twin/evil
twin inspire you to delve in
two sides of a problem? It's
not too late to have some
fun with the duality of life. I
you've been very, very good,
play devil’s advocate today
and see what happens.
ARIES (March 21-April 19).
Who has the biggest piece of
pie? Children (and the child
ish) know the answer, espe
cially the siblings of the big
gest piece eater. Adults and
tne adult-ish) make it a point
not to notice.
TAURUS (April 20-May
20). While lives are filled
with joy, heartbreak and
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MIKE TASOS
Columnist
Monm to finish dipping S-cent
a-scoop ice cream at Thrifty
Drug, Dad said we were going
to listen to some guy named
Liston put an end to that big
mouth Cassius Clay.
Oops. Looking back, based
on recalling Dad’s colorful lan
guage at the end of the fight,
,it’s reasonable to assume Pops
had bet on the champ, a 7-1
favorite.
Then Clay became Ali and
the curtain rose on what was to
become part of the most turbu
lent, polarizing periods of our
lives.
Any time he was on TV, |
was transfixed, marveling at
this well-spoken athlete who
predicted wins and rounds.
If a black man saying, with
conviction: “I am The Greatest’
) |
B
RONDA RICH
Columnist
so frivolous. He also stored the
riding lawn mower in there.
It should have been hauled
away years ago after Daddy
died and Mama took to piling
all her junk in the pantry and
forgoing trips out to the back. It
is still filled with remnants of
their lives such as a cracked
plastic dish pan that is colored
the harvest gold of the 1970 s
and jelly jars which had been
saved to be used as drinking
glasses. Curiously, there is a
black, rusted fire screen. We
never had a fireplace so I don’t
know where that came from.
comedy, today seems mere
ly filled with different
degrees of air and weather.
The uneventfulness of the
morning will be the perfect
offset to a very eventful eve
ning.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21).
No one is in perfect social
form all of the time, but if
someone could fill those
shoes, it would be you. In
your gracious position, you'll
throw some class and com
passion in the direction of
one who is a little rough and
in need.
CANCER (June 22-July
22). The children make it
worth it. That's the message
that comes with your sign,
which rules parentage,
domesticity, stability and
habits that make us feel at
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didn’t go over well with my
friends’ parents in California, I
can only imagine how repug
nant he must have been to those
in the South. .
Remember, most believed
that we were doing right in
Vietnam and anyone opposing
the war was a miscreant. At
least that’s the story we got
from parents and most teachers.
There was a collision course
when those same parents lost
sons in that senseless war and
began to question the logic of
fighting Communism in those
miserable jungles halfway
across the globe.
Lots of folks were incensed
when Ali refused to be part of
the war, refusing induction into
the Army.
“I aint’ got nothin’ against
them Viet Cong,” was interpret
ed by many as cowardice and
not wanting to fight for his
country.
It’s funny how the years will
allow cold hearts to mellow and
be a catalyst for truth to
emerge. Curious to see how
those who thought Ali’s reli
gious conversion was a way (o
My guess is that someone
offered it to one of them for
free and they took it just in case
they ever needed a fire screen.
The wooden floor is caving
in and it has, no doubt, become
a haven for snakes, spiders.
bugs, birds and possibly a bat
or two. I keep telling myself.
“This has to go.” There are
moments that I think I can be
strong and watch as it is hauled
off to be discarded in a junk
yard somewhere. But those
moments are exceedingly brief
because my eyes will suddenly
tear and I will physically shake
off such a silly thought.
Yes, there is a bit of me that
is like my parents. | hate to part
with it because I might need it
one day. But that's not the case
with that old, ugly thing. It
stays where it is because of the
symbol of faith it is. One day, |
was walking the vard with
some visitors. | pointed out my
home. You'll witness the wis
dom of children today and
feel the profundity of that.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Bad
people do good things and
good people do bad things,
and you never quite know
who you're dealing with until
you know the full scope of
things. It's why you want to
get the whole story today.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22).
If you're wondering whether
you won or lost, the answer
is both. With that brilliant
imagination of yours, you
can spin it in any direction.
What is your sincere desire?
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23).
Yours is the best idea of the
group, though unless the
group also feels a part of its
germination, they won't
adopt it. In short, make it
seem like their idea.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov.
21). You have been known to
Cumming
1676 Market Plate Blvd,
Cumming, BA 30841
(770) 889-3764
stay out of the Army feel now.
His religious convictions
never faltered 52 years after his
conversion to Islam. And he
was spot-on about Vietnam.
The best fighter in the world
was banned from making a liv
ing for the prime three years of
his career. How ironic that was
Georgia’s boxing commission
that welcomed Ali back into
boxing.
So many memories of being
amused at his antics. And make
no mistake, his fights against
Joe Frazier and George
Foreman were showpieces in
what was salad days for box
ing.
“Did boxing used to be big?”
The question was posed by my
15-year-old son who knows
more about current sports than
1 do.
“Yes it was huge. It was on
all three networks all week
end.”
It was therapeutic to watch
all the highlights, interviews
and commentary on You Tube.
Anyone wanting to help their
kids with a history lesson can
do so with the help of a few
favorite maple tree by the creek
where I spent many a day with
a book or a writing tablet. I
motioned toward the windmill
and told its story. We sauntered
across the backyard where 1
stopped near the ugly storage
shed.
“This is the ugliest thing in
the world but let me show this.”
Behind the building are a few
cement blocks stacked where
Daddy had built an altar of
sorts. He knelt to pray daily,
especially when the storms of
life grew particularly rough
and, as he often said, I need to
grab hold of the mighty hand of
God.” By the time he died, he
had worn the ground bare from
the frequency of his bowed
knees.
One of the visitors eyed it
with tremendous respect.
“That’s really something.” He
shook his head. “I can take you
to the place where my daddy
confess your small foibles
and it’s a far better idea than
trying to hide them. Beware
though of the person who
confesses small flaws just so
people will believe that he or
she hasn't any big ones.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov.
22-Dec. 21). Empty what's
full —the trash, the inbox,
the overstuffed bag, a
stressed mind — take it out,
and let it go. Make room for
something better and some
thing better will come.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan.
19). If you're going to be a
performer (and everyone is
to some extent) expect a few
flops. They are part of the
deal. There is learning in
hoth the flops and the hit
runs.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb.
18). Are you able to do what
you want, relax and be who
you want to be for long
Member Forsyth
. County Chamber
A of Commerce
@ Partners in
Education
o Forsyth County Schosl Systen
SUNDAY, JUNE 18, 2016
keystrokes.
I met Ali twice, once at the
fights in Bakersfield, Calif.
where he autographed a copy
of his book. And once at the
Atlanta airport, when he was
having a rough time walking
down the concourses.
It was heart breaking to see
the vacant stare from those eyes
that were formerly expressive.
The legs that allowed him to
move like a featherweight, had
betrayed him by this time. This
wasn’t the type of Ali Shuffle
that had showed the world that
beautiful footwork.
There were tears in my eyes
as I walked up to him and said:
“I love you, Champ.” And I
meant it too.
Wishing I could once again,
just once hear that brash, brag
gadocios voice one more time,
I would have to settle for a
whispered “Thank you.”
I think he meant it, too.
Mike Tasos’ column apppears
periodically in the Forsyth County
News.
got drunk. I can take you to the
place where my daddy left my
mama. But I can’t take you to a
place where my daddy prayed.”
We stood there for a long
moment, thinking of all the
prayers that had floated up over
that ugly shed.
“What a legacy you have,”
the visitor continued. “Do you
know how special that is?”
Yes, I do. That’s why the
ugly thing will probably always
have refuge in that backyard
despite my occasional urge to
dispose of it. I just can’t bear to
let it go.
Ronda Rich is the best-selling
author of There's A Better Day
A-Comin’. Visit www.rondarich.
com to sign up for her weekly
newsletter.
stretches of time? This is
what’s going to keep you
balanced. Make room for
you being you.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March
20). Your natural talents are
with you now, have always
been with you and will
always be with you for as
long as you are.The day’s
agenda is easy enough: find
them, tap them and be
happy.
TODAY'’S BIRTHDAY (June
19). You don't need anyone
to tell you what to do and
what not to do — you've a
good instinct on your own.
But when that special coach
walks into your life this year,
you'll be in a place to accept
the guidance and soar with
it. Next month shows a real
estate investment.
September brings a zesty
feeling of new love. Aries
and Virgo adore you.