During three of my years at the University of Kentucky, I was one of five guys renting rooms on the third floor of this Civil War-era home, used as a hospital during the war.
Our rent was especially cheap, but part of it included one “errand” per month with Miss Iva Dagley, a nearly blind New York Opera Singer who came back to KY when the Great Depression ended her career.
By having five guys, each owing an errand, she could get out at least five times monthly. Sometimes our errand was giving a tour of her amazing house; the “Teak Room” where all furniture was hand carved under water, or the “Sun Room” with a marble table that took seven men to carry in, or the “Silver Room” that had shelves and shelves of silver.
Follow the link below for some of the comical stories of her in public, like the time she had me hand a bank teller a note asking for $10,000 to be placed in the money bag I was holding. Can you say “security detail”? Or the time she was inspecting wood-burning stoves with her long-sleeved white gloves.
But this time of year, one of those errands might be helping her send and reply to Christmas Cards. As I was going through MY list, I remember this conversation
Me: “Here’s a card from [whoever]. Shall I address one to them?”
Dagley: “Did they send me a card last year?”
Me: “Yes ma’am.”
Dagley: “What about two years ago?”
Me: “Doesn’t look like it.”
Dagley: “Then we shall wait until next year. Next?”
We’ll be mailing/distributing ours for this year over the next few days. If you haven’t received a card and/or family letter from the Gardner house in the last few years, check to see when the last time was you sent one to us. Hope to hear from you soon….and Merry Christmas.
Click here to read more of my stories living with an opera singer.