Editor’s Perspective
Take Care of Those
Mark Vaughn, CGCS Virginia Turfgrass Journal Editor
Who Take Care of Us
We
resisted for a long time. Two years, to be exact. But after a while, you get tired of being the only one who doesn’t speak the language or know the players. For example, if you took this football season off, you probably have no idea what terms like Manti Te’o, imaginary girlfriend, pistol offense, Joe Flacco or Johnny Football mean. So, while your friends are wolfing down hot wings and beverages and chatting it up, you begin to feel like Ted Nugent at a DNC meeting. What made it all the worse was that we were/ are frequent PBS watchers. So, it was then that my wife and I took advantage of the long Christmas through New Year’s holiday break to do some frantic catching up on Netflix and Hulu. I speak, of course, of the venerable “Downton Abbey” or, as it is called here in Southside Virginia, “Downtown Abbey.” A few things about the first episode were hard to understand. For one, the
spoken word. When you don’t speak the King’s English on a regular basis, it can sound much like a foreign language until you catch the flow of it. People (particularly women) seem to love the English dialect, so much so that I developed a fake accent a la Tina Turner and Madonna to use on my wife. I have also asked her to address me as My Lord, but as of yet, this request has been fulfilled with words unprintable. Number two, I always associated the term “abbey” with a monastery or convent, not a private family home. The Pope would not be welcome at Downton. You soon realize that this is basically a soap opera. A wellwritten, beautifully presented, brilliantly acted, highbrow one, yes, but no different than “Dallas” or “The Sopranos.” The evil, scheming J.R. has been replaced by Thomas and O’Brien, Tony Soprano replaced by Lord Grantham and the matriarch Miss Ellie replaced by the Dowager
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Countess (portrayed by the highlight of the series for me, Maggie Smith). I can hear the dry, sharp wit of my great-grandmother in every line that she delivers. And, though at times she sees herself as a chess master moving pieces around the board, the wisdom gained from all those years on earth are invaluable to the next generation. Except… “Downton Abbey” IS different in one respect. The first plot line follows the privileged Crawley clan, while the second one follows those usually relegated to an afterthought — the “help.” The staff of butler, housekeeper, cook, valet, ladies’ maid, first footman, second footman, chambermaid, housemaid, driver, etc., is just as interesting to viewers as the aristocracy. You are subtly reminded that aside from the obvious monetary differences, many of the same human struggles are faced by both groups. Babies are born. Children die. Weddings take place. Financial ruin is faced. Jealousies,