| Most of our adult philosophies are established from our | | | | in football team selection process. Maybe, just maybe, I |
| childhood experiences. One of the lessons from my | | | | would be picked first now. My skills and talent would |
| youth is to "keep one eye on the goal but two on the | | | | be known to everyone. At this very moment, the |
| process." It's a lesson I learned about walking the line | | | | entire neighborhood and all of its children would |
| between personal ambition and public praise. I learned | | | | recognize my total dominance of the "Great Fence." I |
| this lesson the hard way. | | | | would go down in neighborhood history as the one |
| There was lengthy, wired fence that surrounded a | | | | who did the fence. The Tiger Woods of fence walking. |
| school for disabled children near my home. As children, | | | | As these thoughts faded and my attention came back |
| we used to have a local boys competition. We would | | | | into the moment, I realized that I was on a ten feet tall |
| see who could scale this fence and walk the length | | | | fence and losing my balance. My body began shaking |
| the furthest distance. The challenge was to keep your | | | | violently. I tightened every stomach muscle I had. I |
| balance while walking forward and making it further | | | | flapped my arms to the left to balance my rightward |
| than anyone before. It required an enormous amount | | | | lean. Then, I flapped my arms to the right to balance |
| of focus, patience and determination. I remember my | | | | my leftward lean. This shifting and see-sawing lasted |
| most successful and last experience "walking the | | | | for what seemed to be an eternity. The yells and |
| fence." | | | | screams of the other boys began to rise louder and |
| I was the youngest of all the contestants on this warm | | | | louder. I heard Drummond say, "Jump Down! HARLAN |
| summer day. My brother, Drummond and several older | | | | JUMP DOWNNNNNN!!" |
| boys had taken their turns on the seemingly ten feet | | | | I remember thinking, "jump down and give it all up. Give |
| tall fence. And it was now my turn. I swallowed my | | | | up this opportunity of a life time. Give up my day in the |
| fear and quickly mounted the fence. I carefully | | | | Sun. Give up my chance to win BIG. No Way! All I |
| straddled the fence as I planted my feet and slowly | | | | need to do is get to the pole. Unbalance and sloppy, I |
| stood erect. I was proud to be standing on my own | | | | leaped forward; one step and then two. No form or |
| two feet. It must have been reminiscent of the first | | | | function, I moved forward. As I reached the end of the |
| primate's steps toward humanity. | | | | fence, my left foot slipped to the left and my right foot |
| I focused my eyes on my my feet and their | | | | flew to the right. My body flew forward. And I landed |
| relationship with the fence. I took one step forward as I | | | | crouch first onto the fence. The pain of manhood |
| raised my arms like wings for balance in the wind. My | | | | paralyzed my body. Stiff from head to toe I fell from |
| entire body wobbled as I tried to keep control of my | | | | the fence down to the ground. |
| destiny. With one step down, I went for two and then | | | | I remember awakening up to a blurry blue sky filled |
| three steps. The distant heckles and laughs from the | | | | with nappy headed boys surrounding me with panic on |
| onlookers began to fade away. I knew that I was | | | | their faces. As the sky became clearer the boy's |
| becoming a threat to the previous record. My trembling | | | | faces changed. Their teeth began to show and laughs |
| body stabilized. Then, step four and five. I was almost | | | | started to pour out of them. The ringing of the pain |
| to the end of the fence. The turning post had to be | | | | subsided as Drummond helped me to my feet. I was |
| near. I lifted my head to see how far I had to go. It | | | | now famous, for reasons unforeseen. And I had made |
| was only three or four steps away. Inside, I began to | | | | it further than any one else had ever gone. The victory |
| glow with pride. I was going to show them all. I was on | | | | was bitter sweet. |
| top. No longer was I going to be "Drummond's little | | | | The lesson I learned on that summer day in a |
| brother." My great feat would promote me to heights | | | | University City park near Fullerton Street was to stay |
| in the summer social sports line up I had never | | | | focused on the task at hand. And if you must look at |
| dreamed. Maybe, I would move up in the picking order | | | | the goal, do it before you get started. |