19 Comments
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Tamy Faierman M.D.'s avatar

Deeply, deeply, deeply touching. 🙏 And profound.

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Geoffrey Gevalt's avatar

Thanks so much. I began writing this as a way to exercise making short sketches of people I knew well. Many will never see the light of day again, because I failed to find that moment, that specific moment, when something happened.

thank you so much for reading. and commenting.

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Tamy Faierman M.D.'s avatar

My pleasure. You’ve clearly found your medium. 👌😃👏

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Joe's avatar

Excellent story Geoff. Hit's pretty close to home. Thank you.

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Karla Schmitt's avatar

Such humanity, Geoff, you truly know how to capture such human moments and their kindness. Thanks for sharing!

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Geoffrey Gevalt's avatar

Thank you so much, karla. So good of you to read it and to comment. be well.

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Andrea Morgante's avatar

I so appreciate and always enjoy your stories. Sarah reminds me of the women neighbor professors who shaped my thinking and doing as child helping in their gardens

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Geoffrey Gevalt's avatar

thank you so much, Andrea. It's nice to know you're out there reading my stuff. Thanks for commenting, too.

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Tom Carlson's avatar

Geoff, you capture another brilliant, caring, courageous, one-off woman of the greatest generation. What an honor and inspiration that she adopted you. I want a woman like her to lead us out of here. Thank you.

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Geoffrey Gevalt's avatar

Thanks so much, Tom. So appreciate that you both read my work and comment. For a new yorker, you're not so bad!

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Douglas Bruton's avatar

Such a rich relationship - you have been blessed.

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Geoffrey Gevalt's avatar

Indeed.

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Rachael Maier's avatar

This is beautiful. It only takes one. Thanks for writing and sharing Sarah with us 💛

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Geoffrey Gevalt's avatar

Thank you. As I get older I realize how many beautiful people have touched my life.

Thanks so much for responding. I am glad you got to meet Sarah.

I was trying to keep the story short, but she was the first woman dean at the University of Kentucky, the first woman dean at Columbia University and the first college president to take part in a lunch counter sit-in.

At cocktail parties, which she abhorred but felt was a duty, she'd sometimes turn her hearing aides off and just nod and smile.

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Eileen Brunetto's avatar

Ah, turning the hearing aids off. Nice move. Lovely important story. Thank you.

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Rachael Maier's avatar

I think it was the perfect length (and of course, there’s always more you could say). What a gift! And to think — you are someone else’s Sarah. You just may never know (or remember).

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Geoffrey Gevalt's avatar

what a beautiful thought. thank you.

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Dr. Mary Harrell's avatar

Geoffrey. This kind of writing makes me want to write and write and write and write.

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Geoffrey Gevalt's avatar

keep on writin' I say.

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