"and You TOO Victor!!!!!"

Imagine a 6'5" Clubber Lang. Intimidating. Strong. Built like a V. A glare that madeya shiver.

"T" moved to Liberty from Boys Town in Nebraska in the early 1970's... He was a tremendous athlete, could have a quick smile - but in a heartbeat that smile could turn to anger - and when it happened, it tweren't pretty.

I'd just graduated from High School... had had the opportunity to play basketball with "T" in pickup games at the old Catholic School located just between the then "you must live here" black neighborhood - and where I lived. We weren't besta friends - but there was a mutual respect.. He'd make a good shot - I'd nod. I'd make a good pass to him - he'd gimme a thank you wink.

The next winter - we played City League Basketball together. "T" dominated, and we had some additional decent folks - and we coasted to the league championship. Same scenerio repeated the next winter... "T" and I didn't go out and about together - but there was again, the mutual respect and comeraderie that goes along with being teammates..

Year three - I'd transferred colleges - joined a fraternity... and our old team split... and 7-8 of us from the fraternity formed a team. Tough going against T's team - but I remember we won by a few... T didn't have the same support now - but he almost single-handedly beat us...

The following week - came a verbal statement that has been associated with me by many of my friends for over thirty years. We played 'crosscourt' - thus, there were two games going on at one time.. T's team was on the West end court, ours on the East end...

Race relations were improving in the early 70's - but there still was an inequity in numbers in our small town. I'd seen T mad, but never seen him go completely off the hook. I dunno what happened - but whatever it was, I don't think it favored T or his team. The yelling/screaming/tirade T put on stopped play on both courts...

This guy could kick anyone's ass in town - he had the floor - everyone was stopped looking at him - and I actually kinda felt sorry for him as I tried to place myself in his shoes. No one was standing within twenty feet of him by now - yet all eyes/ears were upon him. He'd lost whatever composure was left.

"I'M NOT GONNA JUST HIT YA... I'M GONNA KILL YA...." at that point his eyes crossed to our court... finding me amongst the crowd... He points... silence followed... and he added "AND YOU TOOOO VICTOR!"... Still silence followed... T walked out...

In the car after, five of us... one by one they repeated "AND YOU TOOO VICTOR!"... Now - when I see a fraternity brother - or an old city guy from the day... it's "YOU TOOO VICTOR" as a greeting...

I'm sad to say T didn't live a very long life... but he certainly mellowed over the years... got a nice supplimentary job with the school district - and ended up working great with kids... He grew out quite a bit... and after a few years it was hard to remember the 'built like a V' T, and the frequent smiles on his face made it hard to believe at one time his anger overtook him.

"I'm not gonna just hit ya.. I'm gonna kill ya..... and YOU TOOO VICTOR!" A minute of my life I didn't really have a whole lot to do with, but for many, it's the only salutation they know when they see me. Actually, with the turn around T made in his life - I think he's probably smiling down from up there... maybe even looking down and giving me a quick wink every time we hear it.

Life, it be fun. I hope it's great for you... and YOU TOOO VICTOR!... Love, Victurd.