大象传媒

At this time I worked as a delivery boy age 13 ,as was allowed during the war , for a Baker's Company called Scotts Bakery in High Craighall Road (by the way, this was also the street where my first ever love lived )
Now part of our delivery sometimes was to the aforesaid Abbotsinch Airport . The cookhouse was manned entirely by black American Air Force personnel . This was the first time in my life I had ever met a black person.
After making my deliveries of bread I was standing looking around when I was lifted bodily by a giant of a man .An American Sergeant .
I was so small ,he simlpy lifted me and put me on a table like a doll. Then he shook my hand and gave me some chocolate with a big smile and off he went .
I was amazed at the size of him so I asked some of the other Airmen who he was. They looked at me as if I was mad . 'Sonny' one of them said .'Dont you recognise him? He is the Heavyweight Champion of the World ,that is the great Joe Louis himself ,the Brown Bomber'.
I had seen him a few times on the newsreels and all I knew was he was big and he was black .
I got home and told all my pals 'I have just shook the hand of Joe Louis himself' and I didnt wash my hand for days .
Now I am not exactly sure to this day whether or not it really was the gteat man himself or if the rest of the black men were fooling me.
But I dont care .I have made myself believe it all these years and I still firmly believe I shook the hand of the greatest boxer in the world .Joe Louis in person.
Tommy Mac

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