Heading to Platte City MO (Currently 64 Sunny High 82)
It was almost 40 years ago, 1970-something, when Bob was a Mechanical Engineering student at Iowa State University. He attended the American Power Conference in Chicago as one of the few college students to attend. During one lunch break Bob came back to the table from the salad bar and his friends were all wide eyed and asked Bob if that was Muhammad Ali. Apparently he was next to Bob at the salad bar and while Bob realized someone was there he had no idea who it was.
We asked the maitre d if it would be OK to meet him. He said it would be OK if we waited until Ali and his family was finished eating so we waited. When the maitre d signaled it was time we walked over. Somehow Bob ended up being first and he stuck out his hand and said "Hi Champ".
Ali shook his hand, squeezed it a little while pulling it slightly and said, "did you call me tramp". Bob's life flashed before his eyes then Ali smiled and shook hands with everybody else. A couple of things Bob recalls that Ali's hand was huge and that his smile was amazing.
Remember this was 1970-something so we have no photos from this encounter. Bob was at a technical conference and wasn't a tourist so nobody had a camera, in fact nobody even had a phone if you can believe that.
Bob doesn't even remember anyone that he was with but has the lasting memory of being scared, albeit temporarily, by "The Greatest".
We leave today for Basswood RV Resort in Platte City Missouri.
Till next time,
Bob and Jo
Wow. How cool. Did you ever wash that hand Bob? Lol
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