Boo


     In the latest issue of the Texas Monthly, Jason Sheeler wrote an expose of Kermit Oliver, Khristian Oliver's father.  You can read, "Portrait of the Artist as a Postman," here. My friend and classmate Margaret alerted me to Sheeler's story on Facebook since she knows my relationship with Khristian, his family and Sonya Reed, his girlfriend and mother of his child.

     I immediately went to the Texas Monthly's website and read it.  I'm sure a lot of wealthy Texans are scratching their heads that the only American designer for Hermes lives in of all places, Waco, TX. Also, that this same artist works at a post office.  The horror! But those people who actually know the Oliver's story felt the real horror.

     I felt like the entire piece was meant to exploit this very sensitive and reclusive man by giving away little details that weren't fully explored and getting many of them wrong.  In addition, people now know what street he lives on and that his son was executed and he and his wife aren't dealing with it that well. Call me overly sensitive, maybe even protective of this couple, but it felt like the writer went after Boo Radley.  And you just don't do that.  Everyone probably patted him on the back for "getting" the story, but did he?  No.  He just caused that poor family more heartache.  At the end of the piece, there was a link to the above picture.  I don't know what the title means, but Khristian Oliver is under the sheet.  His daughter Madison is placing the rose on him.  And it looks like Katie Oliver is holding him.  Oh, and there's Rick Perry the Governor of Texas looking mournful.

     I too feel a little like a recluse lately.  I haven't been motivated to drum up more interviews for the blog and I'm debating if I'm going to keep things the same once I return for real in mid-October.  If I just wrote my blog myself, it would be a lot easier, but I rely on willing participants to share their lives.  I totally respect those that have helped me in the past.  It takes a lot of bravery to share your pain with the public.
On that note, I'm going to leave you with a quote.

"Well, you know what'll happen then? All the ladies in Maycomb, including my wife, will be knocking on his door bringing angel food cakes. To my way of thinking, taking the one man who's done you and this town a big service and dragging him with his shy ways into the limelight - to me that's a sin... it's a sin. And I'm not about to have it on my head."  The Sheriff in To Kill a Mockingbird




Bernie

I know I said I was taking a little break, but I just watched this film tonight and I really enjoyed it.  I've only lived in Texas for two years and I knew nothing about the case, but I liked the quirkiness of this story.Jack Black is totally awesome in this role.  Gone is the usual craziness that we usually expect from him.  He nailed the part of a God loving funeral director that everybody loves. Unfortunately, he's also guilty of murder.  It's a true story, but it is Hollywood's version of it, so who knows how true it is.  Skip Hollandsworth, a journalist in Texas wrote about Bernie and also helped write the screenplay.  You can read the story here.