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OLD BUDDY GEORGE by
George Lester |  |
I
have tried to avoid bringing my domestic life into these stories but I felt at
this time it is necessary in order to explain events that occurred later. Shortly
after I arrived in El Dorado, Arkansas I received word that the divorce was final
and my marriage had ended. It was not something that I wanted and I had done absolutely
nothing to bring it about. It was completely beyond my control and I reluctantly
let it happen without putting up a fight. I felt as if I had fallen into a bottomless
pit of gloom. Back in those days the wife always got custody of the children regardless
of the circumstances. Now I was alone and encumbered with child support for my
two sons that took a huge chunk out of my modest salary. These are the things
I had to contend with as I started a new phase in my career.
Upon reporting
for work I learned that we were still weeks away from opening up for business
at the television station. As Yogi Berra once said, "It's deja-vou all over again".
I was back to the same situation I faced in De Soto Parish except the waiting
period was a lot longer this time. We were all put to work building sets and doing
other menial jobs. This didn't bother me that much because I had performed manual
labor for years before I got in to broadcasting. Regardless, we were all champing
at the bits to get the party started.
Back in Texarkana I had taken notice
that the most popular program on the television station there was the cowboy hosted
kiddie show. I wanted to produce and host a similar show myself in El Dorado.
The manager was all for it and told me to start working on a format and a name
for the show.
I drove down to Monroe, Louisiana, about 50 miles south,
and observed their version of the program I had in mind. They had the kids sitting
in stadium type seats surrounding the stage. Before the program got underway the
host stood in the center and gave a long list of rules and regulations the kids
had to abide by. His tone of voice was not much different than a Marine drill
instructor. By the time the show went on the air the poor kids looked like zombies.
I also took note of the fact that the camera stayed on the host most of the time
with very few shots of the kids. I vowed then and there that my show would be
different.
When
we finally got on the air I had worked out a format that I hoped would breath
life into the program. I named the production "TV Corral" and I was the host,
Old Buddy George. I was clad in western get up topped by a big cowboy hat. Before
the program got underway I chatted with them and told stories to relax them. A
sponsor had provided tasty treats for the kids. There were no preshow instructions.
I wanted them to be relaxed and natural on camera. I had also requested that the
studio monitors not to be turned on until the movie started. I had noticed that
in Monroe the kids were all looking at the TV screen every time the camera caught
them. That seemed to make them even more self conscious.
When the program
got underway the opening announcement was made off camera and the first thing
the viewers saw was Old Buddy George sitting on the floor with a bunch of happy
and noisy kids. It didn't matter if one of them interrupted my opening dialog.
It just added more charm to the show. I asked that the camera stay on me only
for a few seconds and then to start slowly panning the kids as I talked about
the cowboy movie we were going to see. I had brought several toys for them to
play with and they were taking advantage of them. Very few of them even realized
we were on the air. The proud parents got to see what they wanted, their kids.
When
we took a break for a commercial the opening shot was of a kid playing with a
toy or doing something else amusing and being perfectly natural. I came on camera
only briefly to make an announcement that we would be right back after the commercial.
The same thing happened after the commercial before we went back to the movie.
I had promoted a club the kids could join in order to get on the show. At the
end of each episode a list of the kids invited to be on the next show would scroll
across the screen. The program was sold out and there was a waiting list for new
sponsors.
Things couldn't have been better, except for one thing. I would
put on a happy face all day for the public but I went back to my one room apartment
each night and cried myself to sleep. I missed my family more than anyone knew.
Some of the parents were amazed at my patients with a house full of wild, energetic
kids. It was easy. They made up, in a small way, for the absence of my two boys.
Many
years later a dear friend of mine was going through the same thing. He was taking
it very hard and I feared for his well being. I hurt right along with him because
I knew what he was going through. Just recently I wrote a poem reflecting some
of the things I said to help him get through this seemingly impossible situation.
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The
hurt will just not go away
It clings to you like skin
Oh, for one small
respite
You pray for just one win
There seems to be no way out
No
escape plan comes to mind
You've played it over a thousand times
No answer
could you find
Dear heart, please listen
Before you close that door
There's
so much left to live for
I've tread that path before
How could you
be so betrayed
By someone held so dear
And it seemed so easy to believe
You would keep forever near
Now that dream is shattered
It simply
can't be true
That person shares with someone else
what once belonged
to you
You say life just isn't fair
There's no forever more
But a
brighter day is coming
I've tread that path before
It happened many
years ago
Before you saw the light of day
I steeped in my depression
And spoke the words you say
I thought my life was over
No reason to face
tomorrow
I could not endure another hour
drowning in my sorrow
It seemed
to take forever
But I shed this gloom I wore
You can do the same my friend
I've tread that path before
One day without warning
You'll hear the
birdies sing
And smell the fragrant blossoms
With all the joy they bring
Then you'll realize I speak the truth
You must keep hanging on
No
matter how you feel today
Not everything is gone
Just keep your faith
long enough
You'll see your spirits soar
I know this will happen
I've
tread that path before |
| That friend later
found a wonderful mate. They were married and their union has rewarded them with
much more than either had before. Life does sometimes have a happy ending. |
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