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 The
doctors amputated Professor Pete Zogan's left leg just below the knee.
The month before they'd performed two separate surgeries on him. It's
been a tough month for the genial professor.
Professor Pete is a dancing dervish. He's always loved
to dance and the dance floor is his spiritual home. We were all deeply
concerned.
He has faced these horrendous trials with unflagging
humor and unflinching courage. Nothing slows him down.
He rolled into the Taurus Chops in his wheelchair the moment he was
released from the hospital. All the women wanted to dance with him.
Professor Pete stood on one leg and danced with them. His eyes were
shining, his face was beaming.
He finally got back in his wheelchair. It'll
undoubtedly take two or three more sessions on the dance floor before
he gets his stamina back.
Pete is a professor at Florida International
University. He teaches Decision Science and Information Systems. He
explained some of the technological aspects of his teaching.
Naturally, it all escaped me. I'm not surprised; he'd worked with NASA
for years.
He's a wonderful teacher. His students love him. Many
of his former students have told me how much he's helped them and how
greatly they admire him.
The professor is a kind, generous man. I've seen him
help people shop for a computer, set the computer up and teach them
how to operate it. He brings love, kindness and magnanimity to his
personal life and his professional life.
His former wife and his daughters have given him
powerful emotional support during this ordeal. He went to visit all of
them this past week.
His life is no longer in danger. His heart is filled
with gratitude. This experience has given him an even greater zest for
living.
He drives his car all over town. He can generally be
seen anyplace where people are dancing and having a good time.
Dancing hasn't been his only connection to rock music.
Professor Pete played in a rock band when he was in college. He wisely
decided not to pursue a career in music because he felt there was an
extremely limited future for a musician who kept leaving the bandstand
to dance with all the women.
The doctors are preparing an artificial leg for the
professor. There'll be no stopping him once he gets that hooked up.
They'll have to put fresh wax on every dance floor in town.
All the women want to be the first to dance with him
when he gets his artificial leg. We might hold a raffle. The winner
gets the first dance and we'll donate the proceeds to the Society for
Impoverished Former Dance Instructors.
We might even rig the raffle so everyone wins.
Professor Pete will be on the dance floor surrounded by beautiful
women.
Thanks, Professor Pete, for being a glorious, shining
example of stoicism, strength and courage. You inspire us all.
I've always derived an enormous amount of happiness
out of feeling sorry for myself. That happiness has been ruined. I can
never truly enjoy my sorrow knowing the pirouetting professor is out
there on the dance floor, smiling and dancing. Professor Pete, you've
taken all the joy out of my self-pity. Thanks.
Butch Warren is a popular,, longstanding bartender at
the Taurus Chops in Coconut Grove and is a regular columnist for the
Biscayne Bay Tribune.
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