This morning I enjoyed a Tim Horton coffee on Adelaide St W, west of Bay, in Toronto.

When I finished, I walked slowly on Adelaide heading east.

A big black guy joined. He was relatively well dressed, and he obviously wanted to talk.    He did not look like a beggar. I put my mask on, he didn’t.

He asked: “Do you know the 10 names of Joseph?”

He was not more specific than that, but my guess was that he referred to the father of Jesus Christ. I never understood why someone should have so many names, except to confuse everybody. Besides, from what I know that Joseph did not have 10 names, except if I consider modern diminutive names. I wanted to cut the discussion short.  “No,” I said.

He turned toward me, and that made my decision difficult (turn around and hurry up, or continue walking), since he did not have the damn mask on.

He asked: “Do you know who I am?”

“No,” I answered politely.

“I am a King, and I owe the that square,” and he points toward the square having St Regis building on it.

Now, it may seem strange, but there were only the few more steps to the next intersection (where I wanted to take another route than him and hurry up), and I wanted to know how errand his mind was; besides, he did not seem to ask any favor, except listening. I asked, “You owe that building?”

“Of course, every square in this city has a King. That one is mine.”

I asked, “Do you know that until 2 years ago that building was named Trump Tower?”

He looked puzzled. I continued, “who decided to change its name?”

“Me, of course,” he said, then he changed the subject.  “That square,” and he stretched his hand toward south, somewhere, “is owned by a French King.”

I said nothing, so, he told me in few words the French King’s story. “He was killed, but he was reborn, like Jesus Christ.”

At the intersection I turned left and said, “I am sorry, I have to hurry home,” and with quick steps I departed. He did not follow.

Now, I was wondering if that guy wanted to have fun and mock me, or he really believed he is a king. His attitude was intriguing, maybe he practiced it for a while; he displayed a certain superiority, like a royal, trying to be kind and understanding with less fortunate guys - like myself.

Here is what I think now: I would have taken the former, but what I see happening south of the border, made me reconsider (let alone the coincidence).

Does Trump think he is like a king? I am sure he thinks that he is more than that, a modern Emperor. He managed to bend the whole justice system and work for him, and pushed down to its knees the Republican Party, who worship him like he is a deity. In full display.

The king I met today wanted recognition and as far as I know nobody wants to dethrone him. He can keep the kingdom in his head. But the Emperor in the South wants to stay in power even if thousands die or suffer for it, or if his Empire will regress to Middle Ages.

The minds of the two men I compare are similar in a way, but the one in the South have more means at his disposal; too many; and his Empire is not virtual.
​ 

Let me start by saying few things about myself. I love basketball, and I am from Toronto. Last year when Raptors won the championship, I was in tears, and from my balcony I joined the chorus of Torontonians shouting and whistling. Kawhi Leonard was a hero and Nick Nurse a saint (at least the slogans I heard on the streets), one black, one white, and as far as I could see there was no distinction in acclamation based on the color of the skin.
Racial injustice is a shame for our society, and should be fixed. Everyone should be judged by his/her value, not the color of the skin, I truly believe it. Equality in everything should be a right, not a favor.
 
If NBA players (as individuals) take a stand for what is happening in US with black people they are welcomed, and I think they should do it because they are celebrities, and people listen. But that should stop here. Going one step higher and involve the whole league is wrong.
 
Mixing sport with politics at the level I saw this week is a damage to what sport means, with long lasting effects.  Sport is in a league of its own, and should stay away from politics. I saw what means when sport and politics mangle. I saw it the other way around, during the cold war when the Russians dominated the East Europe, and bent the will of judges to favor Russians athletes in competitions, and that was anything but fair. Now the Sport itself want to influence politics. Wrong.
 
Let me say this: NBA acted for a good reason, but unacceptable means; SPORT is sport, and politics is politics. Where will it stop if their actions will be successful? Will SPORT become a political weapon?
 
One may argue that those controlling such an involvement (SPORT and politics) know when to stop. Do not fool yourself, when you have a weapon you will use it. It already started: all other professional leagues followed NBA lead, and my feeling is that they did it for the fear of not doing it, rather then conviction.
 
One more remark. In a poll among white people that I saw a while ago, more than 60 percent claimed that they were the target of racial injustice because they were white, at least once in their life. And I would have been in that group; if you are in a team where the manager applies the principles from his country of origin, be aware, consider him/her a superman or leave. Of course, you cannot compare bullying with being killed, but social injustice is not just one way. SHOULD BE FIXED! But with right means, let SPORT be SPORT.
.

ACTUAL transcript of a US naval ship with Canadian authorities off the coast of Newfoundland in October, 1995. This radio conversation was released by the Chief of Naval Operations on 10-10-95.

Americans: “Please divert your course 15 degrees to the North to avoid a collision.”
Canadians: “Recommend you divert YOUR course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision.”
Americans: “This is the captain of a US Navy ship. I say again, divert YOUR course.”
Canadians: “No, I say again, you divert YOUR course.”
Americans: “THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN, THE SECOND LARGEST SHIP IN THE UNITED STATES’ ATLANTIC FLEET. WE ARE ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS AND NUMEROUS SUPPORT VESSELS. I DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES NORTH. THAT’S ONE-FIVE DEGREES NORTH, OR COUNTER MEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THIS SHIP.”
Canadians: “This is a lighthouse. Your call.”
 
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/the-obstinate-lighthouse/
​

 
A guy opened the barber's door and asked the barber how long he has to wait for a hair cut. Being a busy day, the hairdresser looked around and responded: "About two hours." The guy left in a hurry.

Few days later the same guy entered the barber shop and asked again how long he has to wait for a hair cut. Being a crowded day again, the barber looked around and answered: "About three hours." And again, the guy left in a hurry and did not come back.

Few days later the same story repeats.

The barber, already curious, asked his disciple Ben:
“Ben, follow the guy and see what on earth is he doing.”
Ben obeyed and run after the guy. He was back in twenty minutes.

“Well,” said the barber, “where did this guy go after he left?”
​
Ben, all smiles, replied: “At your house.”