The Citizen, 1993-06-02, Page 5Arthur Black
By Raymond Canon
I hit OMEN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 1993. PAGE 5.
Steve Fonyo's
in the
soup again
I see Steve Fonyo's in the soup again. You
remember Steve Fonyo, don't you? No so
many years ago he was probably the most
famous human being north of the 49th
parallel. That's because Steve Fonyo was
hopping across this country on a line parallel
to the 49th parallel.
He did it, too. Ran clear across the nation
from the Atlantic to the Pacific. An
impressive enough feat for the most superbly
conditioned athlete.
Steve Fonyo did it on a diet of hot dogs
and beer.
Oh, yes. And he did it with just one leg,
too.
The saga of Steve Fonyo always reminded
me of a short story by James Thurber called
"The Greatest Man in the World". Thurber
wrote the story back in the 30's not too long
after a certifiable All-American boy by the
name of Charles Lindberg had made the first
non-stop flight from North America to
Europe.
Thurber's short story created a world in
which Lindberg didn't exist. The first trans-
Atlantic flight was made instead by a
weaselly, foul-mouthed, cigar-chomping,
Macedonia,
by any
other name
To paraphrase a well known line trom
Shakespeare, Macedonia by any other name
would still be ... Macedonia. Whether it
would still be called Macedonia is yet
another question, one that, as yet, is still
looking for an answer.
Perhaps if all the Macedonians lived in
Macedonia, there would be less of a
problem. However, they do not. While many
of them are to be found in that part of
southern Yugoslavia adjacent to the Greek,
Albanian and Bulgarian borders, a most
important minority is located in Greece.
While the Greeks do not worry too much
about minorities, unless it is the Turkish one
on Cyprus, the Macedonians in Greece have
become almost a household word in that
country. The fact remains that Athens thinks
it has a monopoly on the word Macedonia
and it should not be used to describe any
other piece of land than that located in
northern Greece.
These strong feelings took on increased in
tensity when that part of Yugoslavia called
Macedonia broke away from Serbia and
formed an independent country. What to call
it? Well, Macedonia, of course. The Greek
government responded with the Greek
version of "Over our dead bodies!" It seems
that the Greeks want the word Macedonia to
be associated with Greece, not with any
other country either now or in the future.
It may be a little hard for non-Greeks to
relate to this but, when one of your most
famous men in history, i.e. Alexander the
Great, came from Macedonia, you don't
whiskey-guzzling thug by the name of Jack
Smirch. Thurber's ... hero ... was everything
a hero cannot be - repulsive, shady, and
ignoble to a fault. The reporters of the world
were ready to create Gutsy Jackie Smirch,
The Legend. To their dismay they were
confronted with Jack Smirch, the scumbag -
lower than a plantar's wart on a lawyer.
In Thurber's fantasy, the authorities dealt
with Smirch the only way they could - while
the U.S. president looked the other way and
the reporters of the nation put their pads and
pencils in their pockets, the Secret Service
pitched the little troublemaker out the
window of his high-rise hotel suite.
Naturally the nation was stunned and
saddened at the shocking news of their
newest hero's "accident"- especially when it
was so touchingly reported by an obviously
grieving press corps.
Steve Fonyo wasn't as repulsive as Jack
Smirch, but he wasn't exactly Captain
Canuck either. He talked like a smart aleck,
leered at girls. He even called Gretzky a
wimp - and this after Gretzky had sent him
free tickets to an NHL game.
Still, in the wake of Fonyo's undeniably
awesome achievement, Canada might have
been able to overlook his character foibles.
Except for one thing.
The country already had Terry Fox. The
curly-headed spunkster had captured the
hearts of the country in his attempt to hop,
skip and lurch across Canada before cancer
did him in.
Canada already had all the one-legged
running heroes it could use.
want to see his name associated with any
other place but Greece.
Nethertheless, the fact remains that most
Macedonians live in Macedonia, they speak
Macedonia which is not related to Greek and
they do not feel Greek. It would seem,
therefore, that some semblance of a
compromise on all this is in order. That, too,
may be easier said than done since we have
seen, both in the animosity between Greece
and Turkey (both members of NATO) as
well as the bloodshed in parts of Yugoslavia,
just how hard any compromise is to come
by.
In effect what you have is just another
Balkan version of the proverbial rock and a
hard place and it was a good question as to
who would budge first. Right now the
Greeks appear to have been the ones
although, if it is a budge, it is certainly not a
very big one. However, all beginnings start
with a single step and, given the
intransigence which seems to characterize
that part of the world, any little move is
welcome. Any name which that former part
of Yugoslavia comes up with should have
the name of Macedonia in it since it is, after
all, the home of the Macedonians. Perhaps,
to keep the Greeks happy, it will end up
Yugomacedonia." Who knows? Stranger
names have been created!
Even if it does arrive at a name, how
stable the new country will be is anybody's
guess. It has, for one thing, established
closer diplomatic relations with Turkey; that
in itself would make most Greeks shudder,
even though, as I pointed out, both countries
are members of NATO. Will the Serbians
start rabble-rousing in Macedonia after they
have finished with Bosnia-Herzegovina and
presumably the Albanians in what remains
of Serbia (more ethnic-cleansing?) The
Macedonians would be quite happy if the
Serbs forgot all about them but that is not
Fonyo made the run successfully arc
Canada applauded dutifully, but you got the
sense that they vaguely resented Fonyo for
disturbing such a perfect folk legend.
Fonyo never seemed to get used to life
without the glare of TV lights and the rustle
of reporters notepads. He began to unravel,
slowly but surely. He had few social graces.
He offended many people and lost a few
jobs. Pretty soon he was drinking too much
and getting in scrapes - personal and
automotive. He lost his driver's licence. He
was banned from bars. Then he was caught
in a bar.
Fonyo's life is in a definite tailspin, but
he's young. He's still got time to straighten
out and find himself.
The least we can do is wish him that
much.
In any case, he's light years ahead of
another disgraced runner. Remember Rosie
Ruiz? She won he famous Boston Marathon
back in 1980. Then it was revealed that she
cheated - took the subway and only ran the
final mile.
Rosie's life really went downhill after that.
Two years later she was charged with
embezzlement of $60,000 by the firm she
worked for. A year after that she tried to sell
two kilograms of cocaine to an undercover
narcotics detective.
Rosie's lawyer tried to get her released on
bail. "Why," asked the judge, "should the
Court trust Ms Ruiz?"
"Your honour", said the lawyer, "You
don't have to worry. She's not a runner."
That we knew, councillor, that we knew.
likely to take place.
One thing is certain. The map of Europe is
constantly changing. Take a look at what
happened after 1918 and to a lesser extent in
1945. In the 1990's further great changes are
taking place. Any maps which the
cartographers come up with are bound to be
provisional and who can tell what such a
map will look in the year 2000. The
Macedonians, for one, are hoping that they
will be one country still on the map.
Meetings set
for input
Continued from page 4
zero blood alcohol level when driving; be
accompanied by a fully licensed driver with
at least four years experience; do not drive
on "400-series" highways; refrain from
driving between the hours of midnight and 5
a.m.; have passengers in the vehicle equal to
the number of seat belts, and drive class G
vehicles only. Class G vehicles are
passenger cars, vans or small trucks. The
vehicle must display the new driver sign.
Level Two will last a minimum of 12
months. The restrictions are a zero blood
alcohol level when driving; limit the number
of passengers to the number of seatbelts and
drive Class G vehicles only.
On completing Levels One and Two the
driver will be eligible to take a test on
advanced driving skills. Successful
completion of this test lifts all these
restrictions. As with all legislation
introduced by this government there will be
an opportunity for the public to comment on
it. Dates and locations of these public
meetings will be forthcoming. The new
system is expected to take effect in the
spring of 1994. More information can be
obtained from my office or by calling 1-800-
387-3445.
Paul Klopp, MPP Huron.
At
Lisa's
Level
By Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot
Wanted
single person
for reporter position
There are some jobs that should list as a
prerequisite that you be single with no
children.
Reporters are one of them.
Reporters are required to cover the news,
whether that be between 9 and 5 p.m. or 5 to
12 a.m. Unfortunately, news can't be slotted
into a 9-5 work day.
News doesn't care that you might like a
weekend off or an evening free, or that you
want to spend time with your family. It
happens whenever it wants too.
That's why being single and unwed is
almost a must. When that council meeting
extends over hours, the unwed reporter
doesn't have to worry about waking up her
spouse when she comes home. When layout
takes a little longer, the non-parent doesn't
have to beg the babysitter for extended
service. When the weekend work piles up,
the non-parent doesn't have to worry who's
going to look after the little one.
Unwedded and non-parent are also
requirements for a great many other jobs I
would imagine. Like veterinarians, doctors,
salesmen, farmers and Prime Ministers who
regularly work outside the 9-5 workday.
So how does this married parent do it?
Well, for a while she had a willing
grandmother and a trusted, flexible
babysitter. Well, the grandmother is still
willing (thanks, mom) but the babysitter is
now busy with another wee one of her own
(Congratulations Chas!) and is taking
maternity leave.
With the loss of my babysitter, this parent
realized she had to make a choice? Parent or
journalist? In the end, priorities made the
decision—no job is more important than my
son.
That doesn't mean I leave with no regrets.
There's a lot about this job I'm going to
miss—my co-workers, the people I
interview and the knowledge they impart,
the satisfaction of a finished story and the
thrill of a moment captured on film. These
things I will miss.
No doubt I'm also going to miss having a
'career'. Though there's nothing as important
as parenthood, society still doesn't seem to
accept it as a viable career and in the past,
I've also taken on that view. I had also been
proud to say "I'm a reporter" when people
asked me what I did. Now I'll have to learn
to be equally as proud to say "I'm a mother."
I realize I am very fortunate to be able to
choose not to work outside the home.
Though we're far from rich, the semi-stable
farming income my husband earns enables
me to make this decision without worrying
about finances.
And so I say good-bye as a part-time
reporter. For those of you who may have
enjoyed my stories (anyone?), I hope to have
my name in print as a freelance journalist.
I hope the new reporter, Janice Becker,
will find this job as satisfying and rewarding
as I have.
Good thing she didn't read this column
before she started—she's a wife and mother!
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