I Just Talked With Dr. Billie Davis.

by compound complex 11 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  compound complex

  Dear Friends,

  It took fifty years, but it happened. When I was eight years old I was inspired by a film entitled "A Desk for Billie." It's about a hobo girl living between two worlds as a "marginal" person. I hung up the telephone a moment ago after Dr. Davis and I had chatted a bit. She is eighty-five years old and confirmed my recollections about the movie. One of the points she confirmed: she and her family lived in a shack in Bakersfield, California. When returning from the school prom, Billie had her date drop her off in a nice neighborhood (ostensibly by her home), and she walked the distance to her "real" home. She calls Springfield, Missouri, home today (near my pioneering assignment of 40 years ago).

  We exchanged addresses and plan to be in touch. Proceeds from her DVD, "A Desk for Billie," go toward student scholarships. As an indigent child myself, I would not have made it through my first (and only) year in college without scholarships and federal grants.

  Dr. Davis graciously extended me permission to share our conversations with the world at large ...

  What a privilege!

  CoCo
• 

  *summer*

  It took fifty years, but it happened.

  Better late than never...

  A touching story, CoCo. What a privilege indeed:-)
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  Hortensia

  I seem to remember that film, or a similar one about a woman athlete. Inspiring that people with nothing can become so successful. What made you call her after all this time?
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  compound complex

  Thanks, *summer*!

  Hello, Hortensia:

  Below is the intro to my yesterday's thread. Since I discovered GOOGLE, I had a mental list of potential research projects, one being the very faint recollection of "ADFB." Below explains what I found. I NEVER expected a phone number!

  Dr. Davis is absolutely lucid, cheerful and intent on paying it forward.

  Thanks for your inquiry.

  Dear and Gentle Readers,
  

  I am glad that I woke up today; I awoke with an answer.

  We wrote on a recent thread about waking up with answers to something troubling us or about something forgotten. Upon arising a few minutes ago, I instantly recalled four words very important but lost in a haze: "A Desk for Billie." A 1956 docu-drama put out by the National Educational Association, this little film influenced a very poor boy named CoCo. It's about a hobo child who gets education.

  Please take time to read her story. I am so grateful for Google!

  Love,

  CoCo
• 

  compound complex

  Up one side of a street and down the other. Going systematically through the towns I learned about urban patterns. Gradually I learned the buildings that were not houses, and stores might be called public buildings. I was fascinated by the schools, libraries, and churches, and began to understand that these were shared and often provided through community cooperation and taxation. So basket peddling gave me opportunities to observe life in a settled community, and to become aware of the contrast between this and my own lifestyle, dress, language, and total condition. I heard people call us gypsies, tramps, migrants, bums, farm labor, transients, and oakies. The designations so obviously set us apart that I began to conceive of the townsfolk as real people. I asked, "What makes real people?" because I had sensed the vital concepts of being and belonging. What does it mean to be a person? What does it mean to belong?

  http://www.psichi.org/pubs/articles/article_145.asp
• 

  BabaYaga

  Oh, my gosh, CoCo, how cool is that?!
  
  Hooray!
  
  Love,
  Baba.
• 

  compound complex

  Baba Yaga:

  Way cool! - thanks for your reply. It's much appreciated!

  CoCo
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  FlyingHighNow

  Coco-la, this is amazing. If i get hired, I will tell them that you got to meet Dr. Billie.

  Your quote makes me think of the song Cher did Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves....we'd hear it from the people of the town....
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  changeling

  What wonderful serendipity!

  changeling :)
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  compound complex

  Thank you, FHN and changeling!

  If I get to meet Dr. Davis, FHN, I'll be sure to let you know. We only talked on the telephone.

  CoCo