Bradford & Village Idiot, I
remember a DO named George Cook. I think he could speak modern Greek;
might have been from Greece, but didn't have an accent or anything that
would make that obvious.
We had a George Cook as CO and his wife was named Joan. Very pompous and loved being the star of the show as did his wife.
He was the one who after the meeting, scolded my Mom and some of the older Sisters who had arranged a 50's party for us teens. We rarely ever got to do anything but this time we dressed up in 1950's clothes ( greasers, cheerleaders, Bobby soxers, Lettermen) and we did 50's dances. I kid you not, He actually said that instead of emulating the world, we should have dressed as the Pioneers and Missionaries of the day and listened to Kingdom Melodies of that era. He claimed that the dances weren't fitting for young ministers of
Jehovah and said such activities would distract us young ones from the
urgency of the times. We couldn't believe it !
This guy used to wear brightly colored 3 piece suits during his visits and his wife (Joan) used to wear Women's Fedora style hats with big Pheasant feathers that would practically be in the faces of the people sitting behind her during the meeting. She had long red fingernails which were a distraction to the householders at the door as she turned the pages of the Bible or the Literature. She also had a rather big caboose and was often squeezed into suits with straight skirts that she'd long since grown out of. My Mother (bless her) mentioned this to "Brother"Cook after he finished berating she and the other sisters about the 50's party.
My Mother was tall blonde and very elegant. She had a European accent. ( think of a blond Audry Hepburn) She was very articulate, quick witted and clever. Although she was respectful, she'd easily put any brother in his place if he took the headship thing too far with her which happened from time to time because my Dad was not a JW and the brothers viewed her as a single woman or widow.
In this instance, she said to Brother Cook "If it's distractions and what's befitting of a minister you're worried about, I suggest you take a look at your wife's tight skirts, large feathered hats and blood red fingernails and ask yourself If she portrays herself as a Minister or even the wife of a Minister when she's at the doors. For that matter, what must people around here think when you show up to their modest homes wearing a nearly pink suit. (it was salmon colored actually but some would call it pink). His face was priceless...he had nothing to say because it was all true and he was totally out of line and he knew it.
We all just walked away rolling our eyes thinking what an ass he was and cheering inside for what my Mom said.
This incident and many others like it, is why it was particularly galling for me to see the videos of the line dancing and Motown dance lessons taking place in the Halls last year during the International Assemblies.
