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{{Byline|last=Jacomo|first=Thomas |abstract=A confidant of Norman Mailer recounts his experiences with Mailer over many years. |note=Thomas Jacomo was a longtime friend of Norman Mailer. As executive director of the Washington Palm restaurant, he knows everyone of any importance or self-perceived importance and presides over perhaps the main, nonpartisan power meeting spot in the nation's capital. |url=}}
{{dc|dc=I|t was around 1970 or 1971.}} I was running a hotel in Manchester, Vermont, called the Avalanche Motor Lodge. Nearby was a nightclub called The Roundhouse. People knew I was a big boxing fan and told me Jose Torres, the light heavyweight champion of the world, was over there. So of course I ran across the street.
I was young, full of piss and vinegar, and I ended up sparring with Torres, kidding around with him, and he says, “I want you to meet my friend Norman Mailer.” I didn't know who he was, but Jose says, “We’ve got a ring set up at Norman’s house over here. Why don’t you go a couple of rounds with him?”
So I said, “Yeah, I’ll do it.”
Jose was hanging around with Norman, who was teaching him how to write. Jose was writing a book called ''Sting Like a Bee: the Muhammad Ali Story''.
I go over to Norman’s house. Sure enough, he has a regular ring set up there—gloves, headgear—and I think, ''What am I getting myself into?'' Also, he outweighed me by about twenty-five pounds.
I get into the ring. Bing, bing, bing—we fought on and off for two or three weeks. We never really hurt each other. In fact, he made a rule a couple of years later that we’re never going to hurt each other, although I did give him a couple of good shots.