January-16---Human-Connection---A-Small-Act-of-Kindness

JOURNALING – While going to college in the middle 60’s I worked for Kenley Players, an Equity summer stock theatre company which is credited with laying the groundwork for Broadway touring companies of today. In 1965 one of the productions was “Carousel” featuring the husband and wife team of Robert Goulet and Carol Lawrence. After each performance the “name” actors would make themselves available backstage to greet audience members, sign autographs, and have pictures taken. After the Saturday matinee, there was a long line of young people waiting for their chance to talk with Mr. Goulet and Ms. Lawrence when a young pre-teen girl asked them to pose for her camera. Back then there were no cell phones so all the girl had was a small Kodak camera with a flashcube. She “clicked” the shutter and no flash. Oh, no! The girl was flustered and was trying to fix her problem. There was a long line of fans and the actors had another performance that evening so it would have been easier for them to just go to the next person in line but they didn’t. Carol Lawrence said she knew what was wrong, took the camera, pulled out the flash cube, licked the bottom, stuck it back in and told the girl to “try again, that should do it” - and it did! I will never forget the kindness shown to that young girl by those two stars.

CREDITS: PHOTOS - Carol Lawrence photo in public domain. Robert Goulet photo from Wikimedia Commons, CC license by Vera Goulet. Kodak photo from Wikimedia Commons, CC license by Phillip Pessar; KIT - “Amusement Park”, Kristin Aagard; FONTS – PH 400; NA Coffee; Burst My Bubble