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Saturday 22 November 2008

Old school ties

Taki lives the High Life

New York

I read in the New York Times that one of the four persons who apparently operated the escort service that undid Eliot Spitzer, the ex-governor of the state of New York, was one Cecil Suwal, 23, ‘a graduate of an élite New Jersey prep school’. Bad news travels fast and I was informed of the fact that Cecil — a girl, incidentally — and I had attended the same élite institution, Blair Academy, from more than one old friend. Mind you, we were 45 years apart, and when I went to Blair the place was not co-ed. I have the fondest memories of Blair. It took me in after I had been thrown out of Lawrenceville school for being recalcitrant, and I ended up captain of sports and won some other honours, which seemed very important at the time.

Blair was and is the country’s greatest wrestling school. We have not lost a contest in something like 25 years, despite the fact we compete above our league, mostly against universities or other élite wrestling academies. One day that I clearly remember is 5 March 1953, the day Stalin croaked. We were wrestling against a military school, and my opponent at 141 pounds turned out to be not only an albino, but also blind. I quickly took him down and began trying to pin him. He was not strong and seemed to be confused. So I let up a bit. Prep-school wrestling matches are comprised of three periods of two minutes. In the first period both wrestlers start from the standing position; then one starts on top, and in the final one he starts from the bottom. Actually, it is the same format as Olympic wrestling, just lasting a shorter time. After the first period, my coach, Mr Dallings, called time out and in no uncertain terms told me that if I didn’t pin my opponent I was off the team. Eventually I did, but to this day I regret it. Holding down a helpless opponent who can’t even see you was not my idea of a victory. I should have let him pin me instead — it would have given the poor kid some confidence — but I was very young, eager to be a star in school, and kids are cruel anyway.

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