An unexpected meeting²⁵

After speaking with Bill Rodgers, I took two steps and who was waiting for me? Fred Lebow. I hadn’t seen him, but he had seen me speaking to Bill Rodgers. He immediately grabbed my hand and introduced me to the race director. While he was introducing me, he was looking at me so lovingly and intensely. He told the race director, “This is Sri Chinmoy. He conducts races, especially marathons, and all his races are excellent. Whenever we need help, Sri Chinmoy’s team always helps us.”

The race director said, “Yes, I have heard about him.”

Then Fred Lebow told me, “You must come to our club on the fifth of March. We are having a special banquet for excellent runners.”

I said to Fred Lebow, “You have to finish tomorrow’s marathon in under 3:30.”

He said, “My best time is 3:40.”

I said, “Isn’t your best 3:30?”

He said, “No. Where did you get 3:30? My best is 3:40.”

While he was talking to me, he was looking at me with such affection and loving concern. That kind of talk we were having!