Troy Burroghs In NYC [Troy Burroghs: Surrealist-Traveler]

Boxing Fan Burroughs

I was going on a trip again to NYC, short for New York City; I love it in New York; especially Central Park; the Museum is great also, and of course, the Empire State Building. Woops, what museum, the Metropolitan, that is my choice. Then I like to walk down the street, and there is the big sign: The Tonight Show, which I’ve never been on, but at its location on all my trips; but once my wife and I went down to see if we could get in, August 14, 2001. They were on a break of some kind. We met Rufered at the “Hello Deli”; had one of his famous sandwiches. He often helps Mr. Dave Letterman with some pranks he puts on during his shows; got a picture with him. I like them two the best. This would be my 4th trip to the great city by the Atlantic. I like Paris even better I hate to say. But New York is a good runner up.

Time Warp

I can never tell when it is going to happen, but it is becoming normal, all of a sudden I was there. I was in a hallway in New York City, looking at some pictures on the wall, and waiting. My brother was with me. A man came down, called Ed; I guess I knew him from some place. I couldn’t quite place him, but I introduced my brother to him. My bother is a photographer of sorts, an Independent Contractor I would gather. He travels throughout the country, and many of his many pictures he took of me, he sold many to text books and magazines. He has his own vaults of pictures some place in Arizona; maybe it is New Mexico, Haw…! Someplace out West. He has done some overseas traveling, but not much, or should I say, like me. Not sure if that needs to be said. But my mind is racing. I like being in New York City.

I noticed as I was introducing my brother to Ed, the ex world champion of boxing, Fraaaaz…, that is all I could read. I think it was Frazer, but I can’t say for sure. He had an office in the same building, upstairs on the second or third floor. I should go check it out I told myself, maybe it is Frazer. I had seen all his fights. I have all his fights on tape, that is, most of his fights on tapes. He is one aggressive boxer. And he has a heart. He never stops. I don’t think he got the acclaim he deserves: like Ali, with the big mouth. I like him also, and he was great, but that mouth. I guess that is what people buy. Like cigarettes, package them good, and it will sell.

I remember most all his fights also, Ali that is. But then there are about six-boxers I really like. Sullivan [I have a signature of his]; Jack Dempsey [I got a letter by him], [Ali, I have a signed glove of his]; and Frazer, I got something of his but I can say right now. They were the best of the best. Oh I forgot one, Marc… (someone), never beaten champ; I have a …something signed by him also. But no one could take a punch like Frazer, and come back like he did, and fight. He was like the Spartan’s of Greece. A warrior among warriors; Ali, bless his soul, was a great fighter, with heart, and used a lot of psychology in his fighting, but…I’m getting too much into this boxing mode; back to NYC.

As I was saying, his name was on this list I was reading on the side of the wall, I just couldn‘t say for sure. I just couldn‘t make out the last letters, Fraaaaaa…r. He worked for Ed anyways. What a photograph that would be. I collect autographs, somewhat. I would have liked to have taken him for a ride had I been in my hometown and showed him around to my friends, and neighborhood. In any case, my brother was talking to Ed, and I had to leave well enough alone: let them talk. So I said it, and it must have flown over Ed’s head, because he was talking business with my brother.

Well, within a heartbeat, I found myself in upstate New York [that time warp again], by the great state of Massachusetts. I had visited a town thereabouts, many years ago, in that area. I was not far from that beautiful town either, it was called Stockbridge. But that was not my destination on this trip. I was in this little hick town, not much good to say about it in particular. Actually everyone was busy selling everything, and shutting it down. I didn’t see my brother around, but I think this was where we were suppose to be, for him taking pictures; for me, I’m still not sure why I am (was) here. For my brother this could be some great opportunity to capture posterity in the making. You know, they show them pictures fifty-years from now, how it used to be. You know the closing up of a great little town. But I didn’t see anything great around here.

In any case, I was on my own. My brother when he gets a camera in his hands, you might just assume, you will see him fifteen-minutes before you leave that town. But he does his thing and I do mine. He is two years older than I. Not sure if that makes a difference any more, it did when I was 5 or 12 years old. Maybe at 15, it made a difference. Actually, I was thinking about why I didn’t go upstairs and see if the World Ex-champ was who I thought it was. His office was not that far away. Get that picture. But I remember now, I didn’t have a camera. Get that autograph.

As I searched the town out the whole day, it seemed I was not getting anywhere, and the skies were starting to become dark, you know, dusk. That is, a little dark. I ended up in this big warehouse. I got on top of some lumber, high, up high on stacks of lumber; I had just previously found a movie-camera, an old type one, different. It looked more like a VCR-re-winder, but it said movie camera on it. I don’t ever take them with me on my travels, it takes to much time to play with, and by the time you take the movie, you lost the thrill of the moment. I was once whale watching in Maui, and took several pictures of whale thirty-feet from me. After the experience, I asked the guy who was standing by me how the whale was, since he had the movie camera. He said wait a minute, I’ll have to re-play it. He said he really didn’t get to see much, taking the picture.

As I was saying, about to say anyhow, here, here I am on top of this huge stack of lumber looking about. A few old women were doing some figuring in the front area to the side when I came in I noticed. I think they were counting the money they made on selling things. Now that I was deep-rooted in the warehouse I could no longer see or hear them. Actually I think they left. I started to move, and tripped. All of my money came out of my pockets. I hesitated to pick any of it up, but then started to anyhow. I felt I was in a danger zone, and heard vices. The criminal type, and so I said: to myself: this money change I dropped, is not going to make me or break me, let it go. My life might be in trouble. And so I did. As I was getting down the steps, Ed was walking by, looking for me. I think he had mentioned my name. I thought about getting that picture of the Boxer now, not sure why, the moment didn’t call for it, that’s for sure. I did have a movie camera now (I took it).

When I got to the bottom of the pile of wood, I found my way out of the warehouse. As I was trying to find my transportation back home, I was trying to hide my new found camera. Someone asked then, if I had seen one. I thought in my head, wait a minute, you left it there, I found it. But I really didn’t need it. When the person wasn’t looking I put it on a wooden box, and got onto the train. I expected to meet my brother there and Ed.

When I got home, I looked about my apartment. I had already a signed 3 x 5 card by the World Champ, Joe Frazer. I had purchased it a few years back. But I guess I wanted to get one, or go one more step beyond the buying stage of a signature, and get to meet the champ. That is, wanting to meet him was a want, not a need. It’s a funny thing in life, chances, choices and decisions. As Mr. Robert Frost once said in his poem: “The Road Less Traveled,” move or remain stale; he didn’t say that, it is just what I got out of it; or kind of got out of it; one turn could make a world of difference, or a life time of differences. I agree with that. Had I not bought some property some years back, I would not have been able to go to New York City, thus, not able to write this story, get that camera, take that train, or even buy that signature; and so forth and so on.

Another thing that comes to mind is: when you open a door for someone, you do it for yourself also. Not sure what door I opened in this story is or was: my brother and Ed never met me. They must have gone their own way. And just what did I learn on this trip (?) And so, it was a door not opened, and a road not taken. But I couldn’t find the door. And to be quite honest, it turned out fine, and I don’t really want to know what would have happened had I picked up the change; or found that door, or not made it to the train.; or pushed my way to the Champs office; called my brother up to introduce him to Ed. One thing leads to another. I had a fine trip, that’s good enough. I have learned in my many travels, you make the good times and the bad times, not the tag along. If you got one of them, you’re better off traveling alone. If the persons good company, forget what I said.

I once met a woman in a small town in Iceland; we were out in a group on a boat looking for whales. She said she was a little lonely. And so I took her to a cafe in town and had whale meat. For the whale lovers, it is legal there. And the whale tastes good, good, good. In any case, we became friends. When she got home to Florida, she continued to write me. And then she went to England with a girlfriend. She wrote me back and said: now I know the difference in traveling alone vs. having to have someone with you (someone that bugs you and so for, irritates you). She explained she couldn’t go any place without her complaining. Thinking it was her job to entertain her. She now travels alone. I did for 25 out of 34-years of traveling, travel alone that is, and brother, I don’t regret a minute.