Monday, September 15, 2008

Amy Bishop

My friend Amy Bishop is leaving Columbus, and I'm going to miss her a lot.

I must have met her earlier than 1991, but that's when I got to know her. We were both in "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas." It was my first show and her, I don't know, how many she had done.

Amy was our rehearsal accompanist and she played keyboards in the orchestra.

She didn't want her church to know she was in the show, so her name was never mentioned.

Amy has been at the Springer Opera House more than 20 years, and many of her friends and family members attended a reception Friday afternoon.

She helped me get a song ready for an audition, and she was surprised. "Sandra, you can carry a tune," she said. I kept saying over and over that I couldn't sing. Now, I know that I can carry a tune, but that doesn't mean I can sing. It's like I've taken years of dance lessons. It doesn't mean I can dance.

And even though I've had years to learn how to work a CD player or DVD player doesn't mean I can always do either of those relatively simple tasks.

Amy, along with Janet Roddy, Jan Crawford, Cindy Mohney, Roxann Suits, Phoebe Caldwell, Lynna Spencer, Karen Lord and I meet for each other's birthdays. 

It was Amy's husband, Art, who suggested that we meet at Jekyll Island for one of the birthdays from now on.

That's an excellent idea!

Art and Amy are moving to the Georgia coast to help Amy's father care for her mother, who is suffering from Alzheimer's Disease.

It's going to be tough for Amy, who leaves in the morning for the three-hour drive. She's leaving alone because Art, a minister, is staying her until their house sells.

But Amy says she'll be back occasionally. That means we'll all go to lunch and laugh and talk and laugh some more.

That's what we do a lot of fun when we're all together.

I'll miss you, Amy. So will the Springer.

1 comment:

Allison Kennedy said...

It's sad for our community to lose them. All the best, Amy and Art!