NYTimes story on Archie & Olivia Manning

It's kind of confusing. Fountain says the Mannings weren't elitist at all. Maybe, it's the word "brought" in the sentence that is confusing. It could be like Olivia served her the soda, as opposed to her just going in and getting herself a soda, as maybe she was accustomed to doing.

 

One thing for sure these Times sports human interest stories always provide unintended hilarity,

 

Perhaps she just walked from the nearby transit stop to the Manning household.

 

This is a nice story:

"After Katrina The Manning's were having a party and needed me to work. My street was flooded and no buses were running. Mr Manning and his friend Mr Penn came to get me in a motor boat."

 

Just what are you expecting when you interview a personal employee of a subject? No one is going to use their actual name and trash the boss in the NYT.

I hate to be a curmudgeon, but I get a little tired of reading stories that merely prop up the agreed-upon storyline, such as the fluff on Derek Jeter, Tiger Woods pre-scandal, etc. etc. Oh they are just the salt of the earth, such genuine people -- it's so two-dimensional.

 

I really hope the housekeeper is no longer working for the Mannings at 81 years of age, but I didn't see the term retired housekeeper, or former houskeeper, I read "has worked for the Mannings since" the boys were young.

 

Plus, we already have demonstrated evidence -- the 2004 draft -- that Archie is indeed the raging egomaniac that this story pretends he isn't.

 

I am reading it as part of my ladies book club. ;D

It wouldn't have been my choice - when it's my turn, I'm hoping everyone will be okay with Game Change. But much like SportsJournalists.com, the ladies don't always like to "get political."

As for Fountain's comment, you begin to see exactly what was meant by it. That may very well be the best thing Olivia Manning's ever done for Fountain (perhaps not)... but the truly sad thing is that a black woman, who's now 81... presumably grew up in the deep South... and who lived through segregation... actually sees a Coke as a big deal. I mean, if it was really hot, why was she even walking to work in the first place?

It's so sad, and yet, it makes you grateful for how far we've come.

 

Times story did not mention Fountain's race.

 

You're right, Boom! I guess I'm so into this book, that's what I assumed. My bad. I'd love to know, though.

 

Is it good?