July 24 Brilliant Khan blows Judah away

on Sunday 24 July 2011
Above the collection of books concerning conflicts through the ages, from The Crimean to Falklands, both World Wars and other lesser known military events were the words ' Khan's War Comics ' gauged into the light wooden bookcase in blue biro. This was both high treason and the epitome of wit in our school in 1975.
Mr Khan, with half his face paralysed ( by being tortured in a Japanese war camp we all believed ) was a primal force in George Spencer, less a teacher, in-fact no one knew what he taught, more a bogeyman in a suit. He seemed to appear out of nowhere whenever pupils were up to no good. A crafty fag on the field ? Khan would walk from the trees and point his cane toward you, if you ran in the corridor you'd inevitably end up face to face with Khan, skiving the day and going round town, you'd always be spotted by the one good eye of Mr Khan.

I survived school, kept out of the way of Khan and made fair success of my life, married with kids and a nice restaurant on the coast, it was only this morning as the radio announced the boxer Amir Khan had beat Zab Judah I remembered all this. Sitting in the kitchen, egg sandwich before me I imagined Mr Khan taking on this man I'd never heard of, imagined him stalking the ring. The memory I hold is too defined to imagine him swinging punches but I have no doubt, that were he in that ring he'd somehow emerge victorious.
Khan, wherever you are, I salute you.

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