Sound the Bell: A Tribute to an Unreal Man
by Anthony Della Calce
January 30, 2007
They awe us. They inspire us. They revolutionize us.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am referring to our childhood idols. We all have them. Yes, they often vary from person to person and are usually influenced by the era in which we grow up. But, that does not change the significant role that our childhood idols play in our lives.
Today, I would like to honor the legacy of one of my personal childhood idols. He is a very extraordinary individual and he has been an unwavering presence in my life for many years.
Since his emergence in the late 1980s, he has demonstrated a strong moral character as he has proven himself to be an honest, loyal and caring man. Even now, more than a decade after his departure, he remains highly revered for his stellar character. He is a great American, a great man and a great human being; he represents a standard for all of us to strive towards.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am speaking of the one and only Mr. Zack Morris.
His credentials speak for themselves. Over the years, he has always been willing to help out beautiful young women in need of a date, no matter what sacrifices he may be required to make. He has always shown the willingness to go the extra mile to succeed, especially in school.
Mr. Morris recognizes the value of a good, strong education and he believes attending school is an essential investment of our time. “I like school,” he said, “… it's a good way to kill time between weekends.”
Mr. Morris is also one of the most innovative businessmen in history. He has shown remarkable creativity and versatility in his successful retail of pasta sauce, red berets, t-shirts, friendship bracelets, swimsuit calendars and countless other products.
But, most significantly, he is a dedicated, trustworthy and loyal friend who never takes advantage of other people. He will do whatever he can to help out a friend in need, even if he has to violate the rules and risk the negative consequence of his actions.
He will sell clothes out of school lockers to help a friend who is in debt. He will kidnap another man to ensure his good buddy will have a fair chance in a chess match. And, on those rare occasions, he will even lie when he feels it is in the best interest of his friends to do so.
No matter what the predicament, Zack Morris leaves no stone unturned in his quest for the answer to a problem. And for that, we applaud him. He will do anything and go anywhere, even the girls’ locker room, to achieve his goals. That type of dedication is what sets him apart from the rest of us.
Now, some of you may be wondering what has happened to Mr. Morris in recent years. Unfortunately, no one has been able to locate him for quite some time. He was last seen leaving the Stardust Hotel in Las Vegas, Nev. in 1994 – he was in a limo with his newlywed wife and high school sweetheart Kelly as they departed for their honeymoon.
I like to believe Mr. and Mrs. Morris have since had two children, Zachary Jr. and Zacharina, and are now living happily somewhere in their home state of California.
But, regardless of where he is or what he is doing, a man like Mr. Morris deserves to be recognized for his achievements, even if he is unaware of the tribute being paid to him. After all that he has given us, we owe him at least that much.
Yes, Zack Morris will continue to live on in our hearts, our memories and our televisions at 7 and 7:30 a.m. weekdays on TBS. Zack Morris, we salute you now and forever.