By Louis A. Zona
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Every one of us can pick a favorite memory or memories of a place, an event, or person that is forever imprinted into our brain and never to be erased.
I often recall, for example, that crisp morning on the campus of Carnegie Mellon University, sitting on an outdoor stage about to receive my doctorate. I looked over the crowd and spotted my dad who probably was the proudest person in attendance. He, who left school in the 8th grade to help rear his siblings through the Great Depression, probably had a more precious morning than mine.
I can still see his well-worn fedora in that morning mist.
Jumping ahead to recall a favorite memory is that sunny day, when I was about 10 years old, staying home from school because of a sore throat. I looked out of our living room window at my neighbor boys spending their lunchtime playing cowboys.
Oh, what I would do to go back to that beautiful day to play my favorite boyhood game with my best friends!
Through a magical course of events, I got to know the great singer Tony Bennett, who became a friend. When he performed at Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh, he dedicated the Duke Ellington classic “Mood Indigo” to me from the stage. I can never forget that moment and will forever love that melody.
Jasper Johns has always been my very favorite artist. It was Johns whose work led to Pop Art and other art movements. I met the greatest living artist and stayed in touch with him and looked forward to receiving his notes and letters.
I treasured the friendship. In the art history books, his work is often paired with that of Robert Rauschenberg. There is one special moment that happened when I knew that I would be seeing him for the last time. He said goodbye from his wheelchair and kissed my hand.
My brother, Jerry, experienced the dreaded disease of cancer. In his final year, I figured out a way of getting him to meet his favorite artist, Chuck Close. Close too was suffering from an ailment that confined him to live in a wheelchair. I arranged to have Close meet Jerry but wanted to surprise him during a trip to Close’s studio in New York City.
“Where are we going?“ Jerry asked several times.
“Nowhere in particular,” I answered as we walked up to Close’s front door.
When I knocked, Jerry could hear the squeals of an approaching wheelchair. “Hi Jerry, nice to meet you,” Close said. They were probably my brother’s favorite words. “Omigod,” Jerry kept saying under his breath.
My dear brother getting to meet his idol will always rank among my very favorite moments in a life filled with blessed memories.
The greatest baseball player to come out of Latin America was the great Pirates outfielder Roberto Clemente. He was legendary both on the field and off. He died in a plane crash taking food and supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.
One of the great moments was being seated behind third base at Three Rivers Stadium and watching Roberto play defense and offense amazingly well. Roberto showed off his skills like a magician.
I thought the world of my childhood idol, Mickey Mantle. But it was “the great one,” Roberto Clemente, whose powerful arm and keen eyesight my fellow fans and I will never forget.
And if asked to pick a family moment or two, the year 1959 and my favorite Christmas come to mind. The family was happy and healthy. Dad’s Christmas decorations were heartwarming and beautiful. I can see – in my mind – my father on the roof of our house on Center Street hanging lights from the roof.
That Christmas also is filled with the memories of crossing the Mill Street Bridge to shop with Dad for a gift for Mom. And it was that Christmas that I purchased a new front door for our house and hid it in my neighbor’s house until Christmas Eve.
It was an unusual Christmas present to my parents, for sure, but one that they really appreciated. And the neighbors, Jim and Anna Marcella, are part of this wonderful memory. They sacrificed space in their kitchen to hide the door.