Photograph Quiz.
Photo no 252:- Yes 252, got it wrong again in my last letter to you. Thanks for letting me know about my error Blog.
Zatopek
Dear Blog,
Aunty Beeb has been mercilessly flogging the fact that next Tuesday on the wireless is a programme about that great runner Zatopek. At 4:30pm the comedian, Arthur Smith, will be giving some kind of informative talk about the runner and his exploits. Now what amazes me Blog, is that Arthur Smith has not got in touch with me for some personal recollections concerning Zatopek. Cannot understand why. I am glupsted. Why you may ask Blog. Well ….. starting in the midsixties I met the great man. Surely not? I hear you ask Blog. Well, Blog, would I kid you? As I have mentioned to you on many occasions, I attended the Pink Panther University and did a few sums. Now the Pink Panther University is composed of many colleges – well one was actually a ‘Society’, the difference from a college being that the undergrads ran their own affaires basically. One mark of our [for in that Society was I] independence, involved the election of one member of the Society junior common room to sit on Senate or something and look after the Society’s interests. I have spent all my life avoiding the limelight not being elected for this, that or the other office, but circumstances have conspired to ensure that I was thrust into various roles without me bothering to seek any election to the aforesaid offices. Bill said something about some blokes seeking greatness and other chappies having greatness thrust upon them – well I wrote his script. Why did I become cricket captain at school in my first year?? I don’t know Blog, I didn’t apply. How was I elected to the National Mobile Home Executive? I don’t know Blog, I didn’t apply. How did I become Head of Mathematics at the school where I taught?? I don’t know Blog, I didn’t apply for the post. With hindsight I reckon everyone except me, took one step backwards when leaders were being sought and volunteers were asked to take one step forward. And so it was that I was the Society’s Rep., the only undergraduate on Senate or something, with all these important people. How was I elected? I don’t know Blog, I didn’t stand for election.
Anyways, it came to pass that Zatopek, the multi Olympic Gold Medalist, was visiting the Pink Panther University in the mid-60s for some reason which I cannot remember; part of a Trade Delegation, I think. And Senate did not really know how to entertain the great man. Blog, all this is true, I kid you not. Some bright spark who I think was the Deputy Registrar who preceded me as the University Cross Country Captain at the Pink Panther University, suggested I take the multi Olympic Gold Medalist for a run to keep him occupied for the afternoon. Blog, I still kid you not. Besides shaking hands, I was far too shy to actually consider myself worthy of looking after him for a couple of hours!!! That was at a time when he was an accepted by the ruling communist party in Prague. And yes, the cross country captaincy was something I didn’t seek, will tell you about that sometime!
A decade or so later I competed in a race Czechoslovakia and the athletes were supposed to have met Zatopek informally before the race and then again at the race presentation. But further purges took place, a legacy of Dubcek and the Prague Spring in ’68 and Zatopek was declared a nonperson. We never met!!! However, while there, I had gone for a run and managed to end my run without a shadow … I was approached by an aged gentleman who was not such a keen supporter of the regime and we managed to talk – it was obvious that he was desparate to talk. It gets complicated here …. Suffice to say that he would arrange for me to meet Zatopek if I ever ran in Czechoslovakia again, a highly unlikely prospect. But he arranged how I would let him know if I did return. The lady who acted as interpreter was equally interested in Zatopek’s plight. All very strange. I don’t understand any of this I must admit. But.
Remember, it was very difficult in those days if not impossible for a citizen from behind the Iron Curtain who was not an important Party member to travel in the West alone, very difficult!!! The summer of the following year, there was a knock on our front door and I found upon answering that the lady translator was standing there!!! She was staying about half a mile away with a gentleman who had an allotment on the same plot as myself. Blog, are you still with me??? Blog, I am still not kidding you. Would I? She was staying in England for a few days. As she was a teacher, I took her into my school for a couple of days to experience our wonderful educational system. I saw her the day before she returned home and she promised out of the blue that she would try to arrange for me to meet Zatopek if ever I was to race in her country again – a highly unlikely prospect as I have said already!!
And it came to pass that I was selected to run a marathon in Czechoslovakia the following year!!!! I shall tell you what happened when I have a couple of hours to spare ………..
One upshot was that I had an Israeli visa and a stamp from an Iron Curtain country in my passport ….. And I shall tell you what happened when I tried to get into the USA when I have a couple of hours to spare. The border agency were almost apoplectic when they interviewed me at Passport Control when they demanded to know how much money I had for my stay in the States and I told them that I had no money, not dollars, not sterling not even milk tokens, but I had that visa and I had that communist stamp … Blog, I still kid you not. I had nowt!!
And when you want to get into an Arab country with an Israeli stamp in your Passport, I needed a second passport!! Two passports I hear you say Blog. Blog I kid you not …TWO passports; I shall tell you what happened when I have a couple of hours to spare!
I don’t think I ever told you about the Zatopek Book, did I Blog, how I go it and how I carted it half way across Europe and back!!!
And if I remember I shall also tell you about money changing activities behind the Iron Curtain when I have a couple of hours to spare. That you will never believe, Blog, never not ever. If you saw it in the picture house on a film, you would say it was far too far-fetched, a flight of fantasy!!
And the comedian, Arthur Smith, never asked me about any of the above for his programme next Tuesday at 4:30pm on the wireless station called Radio 4. If he only knew what he missed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Colin
