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That Wit of Flannery's by Harriet Kidd as told to Kim Hollinshead

Kidd

Hollinshead

As I waited on the front step of Mrs. Harriet Kidd's house, I noticed that it was one of the most beautiful historic homes downtown. When Mrs. Kidd let me in, the inside of her home, with antique furniture and gorgeous floors, proved to be as attractive as the outside. We sat down, and she began talking, mostly about her good friend and Milledgeville's most famous author, Flannery O'Connor.

    When I first married my husband and moved to Milledgeville, I began going to the Methodist church with him, even though I was raised a Presbyterian. One year the church asked me to be in charge of the Christmas pageant. I wanted it to be realistic and memorable to the children, so I called Flannery and asked her if I could borrow her donkey, Earnest. She said I could, if he would behave.

    The donkey was taken to the church, and we conducted a short rehearsal. Earnest behaved great for the rehearsal. He walked all the way to Bethlehem. So we left and came back later for the real show. Many people were there, and the music was beautiful. The little girl who was playing Mary got on the donkey's back, and they walked out. But when Earnest saw the crowd, he froze. We couldn't get him to budge, so Mary slid off his back, and we went on to finish the show.

    Some boys took Earnest home after the pageant, and Flannery called me later. She said, "I understand Earnest didn't behave too well. You know why, don't you?" she continued. "He found out he was in a Protestant church and he's Catholic."

    Another story I enjoy about Flannery is this: Flannery had lupus, and I was once the head of the blood bank at the hospital. One night I got a call from Dr. Fulghum. He said, "Can you get a pint of blood for Flannery?" Flannery had an unusual blood type, but I got her a pint and took it to the hospital. I went up to her room and leaned over her bed. She looked as if she might be asleep, but she opened her eyes. I said, "Flannery, is Dr. Fulghum coming back here tonight?" She said he was, so I asked, "Would you tell him I got you some blood? It's downstairs."

    Flannery looked up at me, as sick as she could be, as white as a piece of cotton lying on that pillow. She looked up at me and asked, "Is it wise?"

    I said, "I hope so!"

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