Big Boy
The Life and (Often Hilarious) Times of Norman Swanner
by
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Several things leaped out at you when you first met Norman Swanner. Physically, he was a big man. He was at least six-feet tall and pushed the scales in the neighborhood of 400 pounds. He had a beard and an inviting smile. He also spoke with a stutter.
He was a big guy who called everyone he came in contact with "big boy," no matter the size of the person he was speaking to. He may have called others by that moniker, but there was no doubt that Norman was the one, true Big Boy.
Entering Norman's Bubba's II Seafood Restaurant and Sports Lounge was like visiting the bar on the television series, "Cheers." In the fictitious bar in Boston, everyone greeted patron Norm by name. At Bubba's II, it was owner Norm who was always around to greet the patrons.
There was always a greeting of, "Hey, big boy," from Norm. On the few occasions when he was not in the bar during the early years of Bubba's II's existence, patrons would walk in one-by-one and constantly inquire, "Where's the Big Boy?"
Whether it was having a few (okay, a lot more than a few) brews with his customers and friends, or playing dominoes, a good time was had by all. Exploits of his consumption of food and drink were legendary. His only greater appetite was his zeal for life. His knack for turning spur-of-the-moment trips into day-long adventures also was the stuff of legend.
Whenever anyone would recount a Big Boy story, an imitation of Norman could not be done without the storyteller throwing in a few stutters. Speaking of one of his favorites beers, the Big Boy once uttered, "I can drink it fa, faster than I can sa, say it."
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About the Book
Why a book about a man who weighed in the neighborhood of 400 pounds, stuttered, and died before the age of 60? If you were one of a legion of Norman Swanner's friends, you know why.
For those in his orbit, Norman became a modern-day folk hero. He was truly a bigger-than-life character. He could hold court with anyone. To Norman, there was no such thing as a stranger. From the moment you met him, you felt like you had known the Big Boy for years. If you were having a bad day, you couldn't help but end up with a smile on your face and a chuckle in your heart upon running into the Big Boy.
The exploits of most folk heroes end up being tall tales. In the case of Norman Swanner, the tales are actually true. As time passes, the legend that has become the Big Boy will surely morph itself into something that stretches the imagination. In the meantime, his family and friends can take solace in the fact that they knew some not-so-long-ago legend, but a real flesh-and-blood man who did something the rest of us can only hope to achieve - to leave the world a little bit of a better place than he found it.
Big Boy: The Life and (Often Hilarious) Times of Norman Swanner recounts the fun times and big heart of a very special man, told by the people who knew him best.
About the Author
George Becnel is an award-winning journalist and has been a sports writer and editor for more than twenty years. A former sports editor of The Courier in Houma, La., he has been cited with numerous writing awards, including having been selected "Columnist of the Year." A native of Vacherie, La., Big Boy: The Life and (Often Hilarious) Times of Norman Swanner his fourth book.