tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352920971254096499.post5969486564676632329..comments2023-10-26T08:14:30.016-07:00Comments on Katie Gates: Stories and Opinions: The Help: Memories from my Upbringing in VirginiaKatie Gateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01264642384901419402noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352920971254096499.post-34652130170468309482019-05-16T13:05:08.968-07:002019-05-16T13:05:08.968-07:00Geez! I did not expect that ending. Poor George. T...Geez! I did not expect that ending. Poor George. That school sounds like it was his life. I hope he had family or friends that mourned his death & loved him.genhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15368348956921117104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352920971254096499.post-28928040944754435822011-10-12T19:49:29.202-07:002011-10-12T19:49:29.202-07:00Thanks for sharing your thoughts.....I was one of ...Thanks for sharing your thoughts.....I was one of the Freshman 7 the year they announced FH was closing. I know, it's been a long time, but I can recall my shock and pain almost as if it happened yesterday. George was part of the family I lost that May. What a beautiful person....I'm SO sad he took his own life, hope he is at peace.karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05103964579537571489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352920971254096499.post-30331476286301567592011-10-12T17:38:30.333-07:002011-10-12T17:38:30.333-07:00This was beautifully written - but so sad! Poor Ge...This was beautifully written - but so sad! Poor George. It always makes me sad to think about how lonely someone may be, even when they're surrounded by other people.Shannonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05648294748844187812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352920971254096499.post-17676019464164924832011-10-12T16:18:54.915-07:002011-10-12T16:18:54.915-07:00wow...loved reading the story and triggered many m...wow...loved reading the story and triggered many memories of fairfax (class of '71) and very powerful extremely sad ending! thanks for sharing this well written piece. val kangail '71Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06956109791796608395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352920971254096499.post-29183955818002218092011-10-12T10:36:34.712-07:002011-10-12T10:36:34.712-07:00George was a first year waiter in my senior year-1...George was a first year waiter in my senior year-1958. He was so cute! But I knew better than to befriend him. Randolph was a first cousin of very dear friends from Connecticut who moved to Waynesboro and recommended Fairfax to our Dad over Stuart Hall. These friends of course knew to cross the street if they saw us coming. They knew we would fly into their arms for hugs and memories. We would all have gotten into deep sneakers! Maybe you may have heard of our friend. William W. Perry an elementary school named in his honor.Nelda Nordberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16288758793461308884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352920971254096499.post-67804133390488628472011-10-12T10:01:58.723-07:002011-10-12T10:01:58.723-07:00I am so glad my friend from Fairfax sent this link...I am so glad my friend from Fairfax sent this link to me. What truth and sadness in your words. Thank you for that memory of a time I wish was past.Pat Marlinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11594465734401887634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352920971254096499.post-71555571878928451462011-10-12T09:20:29.839-07:002011-10-12T09:20:29.839-07:00A sweet, sweet soul and a true gentleman. I know I...A sweet, sweet soul and a true gentleman. I know I was not alone in my affection for George. I used to stop and chat with him between meals at the back door of the kitchen. I was very shy, but he made me feel comfortable and cared for. He was always smiling, always kind. He chose to love us. But it would have been understandable if he had chosen to resent us instead.<br /><br />How early did he have to get up to be there at breakfast, and how late in the evenings did he arrive at his own home after serving our dinner? I never gave it a second thought then.<br /><br />I must have known of his suicide because reading it now does not feel new. But I had blocked it from memory. <br /><br />Now, it's back. As it should be.<br /><br />Thanks, Katie.taterbellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10549276154366022680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352920971254096499.post-72305277273896265772011-10-12T00:59:15.994-07:002011-10-12T00:59:15.994-07:00I was smiling along with you as you triggered my m...I was smiling along with you as you triggered my memories of lighthearted, perpetually cheerful and good natured George in his bow tie and a linen napkin over his arm. Katie, I had NO IDEA that happened. I've had the shock of my week. I'm so deeply dismayed by this sad news, albeit old news.Melhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04273448421221756230noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352920971254096499.post-1139086637405046422011-10-08T13:42:54.273-07:002011-10-08T13:42:54.273-07:00Thanks for the rundown. I didn't make it to th...Thanks for the rundown. I didn't make it to the movie. I used to see movies with my son who is away doing his Army thing now. <br /><br />I didn't know you were a Campaigner. We must be in different groups. How's it working for you?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352920971254096499.post-72355241090306613622011-10-07T13:00:26.182-07:002011-10-07T13:00:26.182-07:00What a story, Katie! My god, that was powerful! ...What a story, Katie! My god, that was powerful! I grew up in San Francisco in the late 50's and early 60's. Black and white people were fairly integrated when I was coming up. I do recall going to a prom with a black guy when I was a junior in high school. It didn't even raise eyebrows.Linda Medranohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03440058568073764902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352920971254096499.post-10300856883611946852011-10-07T05:45:00.711-07:002011-10-07T05:45:00.711-07:00I read 'The Help' a year or so ago and hav...I read 'The Help' a year or so ago and have recommended it to friends and family ever since. I hadn't realised you had grown up in such a world. I was stunned by the last line, so final. Poor George. If you were writing this as a novel perhaps your friend would have let him keep the rocker and he would have been given a sum of money to settle himself with and seen out his days sitting on a porch somewhere, watching the world go by. Alas, maybe that's why we like writing novels - we can make the world a better place in our imaginations.<br />I always seem to have so much to say when I respond to your posts - which says a lot for the power of them...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352920971254096499.post-84726142164369812952011-10-06T15:54:57.590-07:002011-10-06T15:54:57.590-07:00Wow. Your last sentence WAS a bullet. How sad.
I...Wow. Your last sentence WAS a bullet. How sad. <br /><br />I just finished reading "The Help" today and plan to see the movie. I grew up in New England, so things were different in a lot of ways.Lisa Ricard Clarohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05048410207952052295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352920971254096499.post-59464632728644907402011-10-06T15:15:47.269-07:002011-10-06T15:15:47.269-07:00I'm currently reading the book. And this story...I'm currently reading the book. And this story makes me so sad.Suhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11862479925124552922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352920971254096499.post-55915327786828520802011-10-06T14:36:42.395-07:002011-10-06T14:36:42.395-07:00What an awful ending to a wonderful vignette.What an awful ending to a wonderful vignette.Sioux Roslawskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17924021828536277618noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352920971254096499.post-72894521725233795692011-10-06T14:19:19.379-07:002011-10-06T14:19:19.379-07:00Oh Katie, that last line made me cry.Oh Katie, that last line made me cry.Sarah Tokeleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13273148070092101085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352920971254096499.post-6083608971498941702011-10-06T13:59:13.688-07:002011-10-06T13:59:13.688-07:00I think we all had a George in our lives during th...I think we all had a George in our lives during that time, what a shame we knew no better. And no, I have not seen the movie yet but I'm going to.<br /><a href="http://fragilemouse.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow</a>Juleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02136045025997662057noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352920971254096499.post-64181841861437737072011-10-06T10:53:37.618-07:002011-10-06T10:53:37.618-07:00That's made me cry. George was wonderful, warm...That's made me cry. George was wonderful, warm, loving and kind. He wasn't the black head waiter, he was our friend. We all loved him dearly.Martha Gates-Mawsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13968343759908672318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-352920971254096499.post-66032984037228085162011-10-06T06:56:03.244-07:002011-10-06T06:56:03.244-07:00Wow, powerful story. I grew up in the Valley, too...Wow, powerful story. I grew up in the Valley, too, although the Northern end, and didn't start school (public) until the 80s. George sounds like he was an amazing man.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com