"The ghost didn't want to scare her, it wanted to sit, to remember. To listen."
~Arabella Sveinsdottir
The Roof Was Never Empty: A Haunting Metaphysical Horror About Family Secrets,
Doppelgangers And The Roof That Watches
It's January. It's Winter. And it if those two things are true, then wherever you are, it might just be a little gloomy. For me it's been a dense fog alert, from the National Weather Service, every day since the month began. Thick, pea soup fog, that doesn't burn off until past noon, making impossible to take one of our long birding trips to Bodega Bay, or even Monterey. San Francisco is also a no go, I hate driving to the city in the fog. So, to pull myself out of the gloominess, I am watching a movie about a ghost that I haven't seen before. From 1970, The House That Wouldn't Die. I guess I am lonely for October, Autumn, and all the deliciously scary stuff that makes me feel all warm and cozy. This movie looks like it has real spooky possibilities!
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, debuted on ABC, on December 13th, 1970, when I was 8 years old. I remember watching it with my mother. I loved it. It was such a gentle movie, as most children's programs do, but this it the one that that put the Christmas spirit in me for the first time. I am crazy about it to this day. No matter how crazy the rest of the holiday season gets, I aways feel just a little better revisiting the love story of Kris and Jessica Claus, and their example of how to love others. It just wouldn't be Christmas without this holiday Classic, from Rankin/Bass!
I don't have a lot of really good memories from my childhood. It was a difficult time, but I don't dwell on the painful times too much anymore, instead I think about the moments here and there that brought me the most comfort in those painful turbulent times. I did a lot of reading as a child, I almost always had a book either in my hand, or close by, and when there wasn't a book by my side, there was a newspaper. I loved reading, to make sense of the world around me. I also watched TV, especially after my brother left for Viet Nam. I wanted to know why he was gone, why he left me, and if he would be coming back.
As you might guess, I learned to grasp the world around me a little earlier than most kids, and when other kids didn't want to discuss Watergate... lol... I would feel a bit out of place. I always loved TV and I wasn't so single minded about the world that I only watched the news and 60 Minutes, I watched sitcoms, because I also learned at a young age that humor was another great escape from the sadness!
I watched the Monkees, and I had a mad crush on Micky Dolenz. I loved Star Trek, "Space, the final frontier" and who didn't want Rob and Laura Petrie (The Dick Van Dyke Show) for the their parents? I missed that show when it went off the air, but was thrilled to death when Mary Tyler Moore came back to TV in her own show, called, of course, The Mary Tyler Moore Show. From the first episode, I was hooked. Mary Richards was my big sister, and I loved watching along with my real sister, as we tuned in each week to see what was in Mary's closet. Mary had a classic style that could still be pulled off to this day!
I loved every season of the show's seven year run, but my favorite episode came right out the gate, in season one. It was season one, episode three... "Bess Is Your Daughter Now." It was all about Mary bonding with her friend Phyllis's daughter Bess, and the transformation of what had been a strained relationship into what would become a lifelong appreciation for each other. From that episode on, Bess referred to Mary as "Aunt Mary,"and it all came about because Mary took the time to get to know a 10 year old girl, Bess, and form that friendship.
I was about Bess's age, and I think I thought of Mary Richards as my TV aunt from then on as well. It impressed me that someone Mary's age would make the effort to not just spend time with Bess, but truly find out about who Bess was. Not everyone has the ability to bond when children, or the patience, at least that had been my experience, and I also had a mother who deeply resented any friendship I attempted to make, including with my peers. Forming healthy friendships was difficult, so it really impressed me and gave me hope that one day, I might meet someone from the adult world, willing to be my friend, just for the sake of being my friend.
I did. And we discussed politics and world events till we were both sick of it LOL. But we also discussed music and art, and she was a great teacher who was instrumental to bringing me out of my shell. She encouraged my creative side, and she helped me feel less alone. Sometimes I think about that time in my life, and I am glad I had learned the lesson that friendships are sometimes spontaneous things, and sometimes they need time to build, but if you are willing to put yourself out there... Love Is All Around No Need To FakeIt. The friendship I made with that teacher continued for years, and I was grateful for it. Always.
Thank you, Aunt Mary!
Side Note...
The little drawing on my sidebar, is of the poster hanging in Mary's Richard's apartment in seasons 2 through 6.
"Today I will do want others won't, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can't."
~Jerry Rice
Okay, so a little later today I will be doing a small amount of yelling at my TV machine. Mostly phrases like GO NINERS, SEAHAWKS SUCK and Alan's personal favorite... TOUCHDOWN! But in all fairness, I won't be the only one in Berkeley yelling in the middle of the afternoon, in fact, I dare say, the entire hillside will probably join me!
Didn't you just love this time of year as a child? On Saturdays and Sundays you could hear all the dads in the neighborhood yelling their hearts outs at their TV's cheering on... whoever... college or pro team that they supported. Here in the Bay Area, the East Bay specifically, it was Cal Berkeley Bears on Saturday, and either the 49ers or Raiders on Sundays.
LOL
So tell me, will you be watching football today? If so, who are you rooting for?
