The Friday Night Fights in Black and White

 I spend many Friday nights with my PopPop watching the “Gillette Friday Night Fights” on his little black and white television. The “Look sharp, feel  sharp, be sharp” theme song and the Gillette parrot flitting across the screen. 

After several weeks, I am sure I have all the rooting rules down. Negro versus Negro: “may the best boogie win.” A white boxer and a Negro: “kill the boogie.” White on white: “root for the Irish.”

Well, in 1957 the big Swede Ingemar Johansson is defending his world heavyweight crown against the American Negro challenger Floyd Patterson, from whom he had taken the crown the year before. Throughout the bout I notice PopPop becoming more and more enthusiastic for Patterson. It turns my boxing world upside down. I challenge him, “PopPop, why are your rooting for the boogie.” 

“Well Bobby,” he explains with puzzled, hurt eyes, “he’s our boogie.” Simple as black and white—well, sort of.

when everything seems dead

a fern sprouts from the soil--

a dark shadow passes