RUTH AND DEBBIE
In my preteen years, I was obsessed with the movies. More accurately, movie stars and movie magazines....Photoplay, Modern Screen, etc. Debbie Reynolds had burst on the screen in "Singing in the Rain" when I was nine and I was in love with her. I gobbled up anything written about her.
That being said, there was a dear, formidable woman in my hometown of Corbin, Kansas who was the postmistress....Ruth Rinehart. Most days, after she had deposited the mail (delivered by train to the station at the north end of town) into the assigned post office boxes, Ruth could be found sitting on a bench in front of the establishment, greeting passers-by or reading or what you will.
I almost always stopped for a visit on my way up the street to the grocery store for a candy bar or on some errand for my mom as well as just getting the mail. And Ruth always chatted to me like I was an equal, asking question about my young life. Invariably, the subject of movies came up. I filled her in on the latest serial I had seen and who was who in Hollywood (to my way of thinking) Of course, at the top of my list was the aforementioned Miss Reynolds.
I don't know how Ruth accomplished what came next. I assume a letter was involved as this was long before the internet.
At any rate, one day Ruth informed me that she had some mail for me, not my parents, me!
She handed me a large manila envelope containing more than I ever got from Photoplay. It informed me that I was now an official member of the Debbie Reynolds Fan Club. I think I screamed and most likely, cried. I certainly recall throwing my small arms around this woman and hugging her. She was a special lady and a special friend to a small boy with dreams.
Alas, in 1952, my Debbie left me for Eddie Fisher and nothing was ever the same again. But it was heaven while it lasted. And all because of wonderful Ruth.
(As an addendum, Ms. Reynolds appeared at our local theater here in Naples, doing her one-woman show some years back. Fabian and I attended and loved the show. I took the picture (below) with me in the hope of meeting her and showing her what I had held onto all these years. Alas, upon trying to gain entrance to backstage, we were informed that Ms. Reynold would be attending a private party and was unable to see us. But, thanks to Ruth, I have a treasured memento of my early admiration of a talented lady.)
One more thing...……...I have also become FB friends with Ruth's only son, Leon and his husband, Denis. And that's been another plus!
That being said, there was a dear, formidable woman in my hometown of Corbin, Kansas who was the postmistress....Ruth Rinehart. Most days, after she had deposited the mail (delivered by train to the station at the north end of town) into the assigned post office boxes, Ruth could be found sitting on a bench in front of the establishment, greeting passers-by or reading or what you will.
I almost always stopped for a visit on my way up the street to the grocery store for a candy bar or on some errand for my mom as well as just getting the mail. And Ruth always chatted to me like I was an equal, asking question about my young life. Invariably, the subject of movies came up. I filled her in on the latest serial I had seen and who was who in Hollywood (to my way of thinking) Of course, at the top of my list was the aforementioned Miss Reynolds.
I don't know how Ruth accomplished what came next. I assume a letter was involved as this was long before the internet.
At any rate, one day Ruth informed me that she had some mail for me, not my parents, me!
She handed me a large manila envelope containing more than I ever got from Photoplay. It informed me that I was now an official member of the Debbie Reynolds Fan Club. I think I screamed and most likely, cried. I certainly recall throwing my small arms around this woman and hugging her. She was a special lady and a special friend to a small boy with dreams.
Alas, in 1952, my Debbie left me for Eddie Fisher and nothing was ever the same again. But it was heaven while it lasted. And all because of wonderful Ruth.
(As an addendum, Ms. Reynolds appeared at our local theater here in Naples, doing her one-woman show some years back. Fabian and I attended and loved the show. I took the picture (below) with me in the hope of meeting her and showing her what I had held onto all these years. Alas, upon trying to gain entrance to backstage, we were informed that Ms. Reynold would be attending a private party and was unable to see us. But, thanks to Ruth, I have a treasured memento of my early admiration of a talented lady.)
One more thing...……...I have also become FB friends with Ruth's only son, Leon and his husband, Denis. And that's been another plus!
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