Listening to your mom play was such a treat. Your writing enjoyable as my memories of Tots and Teens came back to me. Petersburg was a wonderful place.
That is wonderful, especially the video of your mom. I have a somewhat similar video of my mother-in-law playing the piano a few months before she died. Thank you.
Thanks for sharing this. I remember your Mom well. She was a great lady. The references to the "Lincoln" film brought to mind another film that was filmed in an around Petersburg, Richmond, and elsewhere in Virginia. The film is "Ithaca," which was based on the novel "The Human Comedy" by Saroyan, one of Fresno's (where I now sit) favorite sons. Maybe THE favorite. The film was Meg Ryan's debut as a director, and it's one of the worst films ever made, but if you're nostalgic for Petersburg scenes, check it out. Maybe get high before you watch so you can try to get through it. The film was billed as a Meg Ryan-Tom Hanks Reunion, but Meg isn't on screen a whole lot (and when she is, she's awful), and Tom has about a minute of standing on a porch and waving. He probably agreed to be in the film to support her, already knowing that the film was going to be a disaster. One of the most notable characters in the film is the Telegraph Office, which was carved out of the building that was the Globe Department Store, which my parents ran and where I grew up. The façade is changed, but there was no attempt to make it period accurate. I could go on about how bad the film is, but hey, you can check it out on Amazon Prime. BTW, you'd think that because it was based on the Saroyan novel it would have been played up around here, but no mention of it at all and it never screened here. Lots of Downtown Petersburg scenes (computer-adapted), but I don't think it strayed far enough from the Globe location to encompass Tots and Teens.
Don't know "Ithaca." I knew that Saroyan was a Fresno favorite son. His first cousin was Ross Bogdasarian (aka "David Seville" of "Alvin and the Chipmunks" fame). Bogdasarian was kind of an interesting fellow--I made the connection after seeing him as the pianist in "Rear Window" and then hearing his recording of "Come On-a My House"--which he wrote with Saroyan.
Funny about Hanks and Ryan. Hanks seems willing to do bad stuff. He was in a horrible adaptation of Tom Wolfe's "Bonfire of the Vanities." Apparently, Hanks was in a restaurant and saw Wolfe dining. He apparently went over and apologized profusely.
I'll check out Ithaca sometime for the laughs. It wouldn't encompass Tots & Teens, as that was torn down to build a walkway sometime around 1970.
What a great read! And you do have a treasure in that Youtube piano snippet. My momma was born in the same year. Same month, and almost same day. We wanted badly for her to live to see 9/18/2022. The fates didn't allow. Jackie Ruffa King died January, '21(Covid). We celebrated her 100th last Sunday...just like she was right here. And, you know what? She kinda was!
Listening to your mom play was such a treat. Your writing enjoyable as my memories of Tots and Teens came back to me. Petersburg was a wonderful place.
That is wonderful, especially the video of your mom. I have a somewhat similar video of my mother-in-law playing the piano a few months before she died. Thank you.
And thank you!
This is such a beautiful reminiscence -- love the way you wove in so many themes. Thanks for honoring your dear mother's life this way.
And thank you, too!
Great piece doc. What a fascinating world in which we live for those who interests themselves in everything.
Thanks! I'll never get bored with observing the world around us or the history of that world.
Thanks for sharing this. I remember your Mom well. She was a great lady. The references to the "Lincoln" film brought to mind another film that was filmed in an around Petersburg, Richmond, and elsewhere in Virginia. The film is "Ithaca," which was based on the novel "The Human Comedy" by Saroyan, one of Fresno's (where I now sit) favorite sons. Maybe THE favorite. The film was Meg Ryan's debut as a director, and it's one of the worst films ever made, but if you're nostalgic for Petersburg scenes, check it out. Maybe get high before you watch so you can try to get through it. The film was billed as a Meg Ryan-Tom Hanks Reunion, but Meg isn't on screen a whole lot (and when she is, she's awful), and Tom has about a minute of standing on a porch and waving. He probably agreed to be in the film to support her, already knowing that the film was going to be a disaster. One of the most notable characters in the film is the Telegraph Office, which was carved out of the building that was the Globe Department Store, which my parents ran and where I grew up. The façade is changed, but there was no attempt to make it period accurate. I could go on about how bad the film is, but hey, you can check it out on Amazon Prime. BTW, you'd think that because it was based on the Saroyan novel it would have been played up around here, but no mention of it at all and it never screened here. Lots of Downtown Petersburg scenes (computer-adapted), but I don't think it strayed far enough from the Globe location to encompass Tots and Teens.
Don't know "Ithaca." I knew that Saroyan was a Fresno favorite son. His first cousin was Ross Bogdasarian (aka "David Seville" of "Alvin and the Chipmunks" fame). Bogdasarian was kind of an interesting fellow--I made the connection after seeing him as the pianist in "Rear Window" and then hearing his recording of "Come On-a My House"--which he wrote with Saroyan.
Funny about Hanks and Ryan. Hanks seems willing to do bad stuff. He was in a horrible adaptation of Tom Wolfe's "Bonfire of the Vanities." Apparently, Hanks was in a restaurant and saw Wolfe dining. He apparently went over and apologized profusely.
I'll check out Ithaca sometime for the laughs. It wouldn't encompass Tots & Teens, as that was torn down to build a walkway sometime around 1970.
And I'm sure it's a very nice walkway. Just what downtown Petersburg needed.
Fascinating context to a life well lived.
Glad you enjoyed it!
May she RIP and may her beloved memory be eternal. ☦️
Thanks so much. That means a lot.
What a great read! And you do have a treasure in that Youtube piano snippet. My momma was born in the same year. Same month, and almost same day. We wanted badly for her to live to see 9/18/2022. The fates didn't allow. Jackie Ruffa King died January, '21(Covid). We celebrated her 100th last Sunday...just like she was right here. And, you know what? She kinda was!
My goodness. Almost-100 isn't bad. Thanks for the wonderful comments. And wonderful hearing from you after half a century or so!
This was not only historical about Petersburg but it was a great testimony of your mother and her accomplishments. Well done and I loved reading it.
Good One
My mother loved yours
They were feminists before there were such
They suffered no fools
They were quite the pair. In very different ways, they personified style. And one tampered with them at one’s own risk. … Glad you enjoyed this one.
Tru Dat!!!!