- [ ] It's never come up in a conversation, but I spent a really nice afternoon with Mohammad Ali in his south west Michigan home many years ago. The circumstances were these. I had planned a girls week end at our Michigan cottage and I was driving
up with one of the ladies. She was the driver. Bob would be coming up in our car, after the ladies left on Sunday. My friend asked if it would be OK with me to make a stop at a friends summer home on the way to my place. Not a problem. I didn't think to ask
where we were going. It was to her friend, Mohammad Ali ! My friend was an event planner and got to meet all kinds of famous people who came through Chicago. She became friendly with Ali this way. . Ali and his wife and his secretary met us, showed us around
the house and we spent an afternoon having tea and talking. We all did most of the talking, but Ali still looked like Ali and he still had the impish twinkle in his eyes. His wife guarded him as wives do their husbands who need that protection. I did not break
the spell by asking for a photo or an autograph , but that wouldn't have made the same impact as just knowing that I sat in his home for a few hours and got to see him interact as a gracious host . It was a remarkable afternoon.