I was his secretary and absolutely loved my job. Sometimes, he would take a smoke break in my office. (We could do that in those days). He had great stories, and my entire time in his office was a fabulous experience.
Back then, popular women’s shoes included clogs and spike heels. That day, I was wearing shoes almost identical to the picture. Dr. Blue, who had never given me any feedback that wasn’t stellar, came into my office and closed the door. Just like he always did when he came in to have a cigarette.
I had gotten a promotion to be Senior Secretary to President Maurice Townsend. Dr Blue wanted me to succeed so he imparted his best sage advice from his experiences with Dr. Townsend.
Dr. Blue wasn’t a prude by any means, but he thought I might benefit from a few tips he had for me. For example, the shoes I wore that day were almost exactly like the picture I’ve attached. Clogs and spike heels were popular in those days, and I loved shoes and almost had a pair for every outfit. 😁
Dr. Blue also told me that he knew how I liked to “streamline processes” that had worked extremely well for his Department. He pointed out that, for me, if there was no good reason for it to be difficult, it should be simplified.
He said, “Beverly, they have been doing things the way they do in the President’s office for many years. You might not want to suggest a lot of changes for a while.”
He went on to say with a big smile, “Beverly, I personally have nothing against your shoes. BUT there are only two kinds of women who wear heels like that, and you ain’t no Spanish dancer!”
Let it suffice to say that a couple of years after my move to Dr. Townsend’s office, I was so unhappy, I turned in my resignation and took a job with my sister at Piedmont Hospital.
The ancient secretary who had been in the President’s office for 20 years didn’t like me. I actually was above her grade with my title and salary, neither of which she had never achieved. After Dr. Blue’s advice of not rocking the boat, I was very intimidated by Dr. Townsend and Mrs. Ingles. She was frequently rude to me, and I refused to respond in kind. Number one, I did not like conflict in the office and felt it unprofessional and beneath me. Secondly, I didn’t want to get in trouble. I would just go to the bathroom and cry. We had our own private bathroom. (For the record, I also had a permanently reserved parking space in front of the President’s office next to his. I know that may sound silly but I have never had one before and I have never had one since,😁)
After I turned in my resignation, every Director and every assistant in that building told me how disappointed they were that I was leaving. Without saying it in these words, they basically told me that everyone hoped I would be the one who put Mrs. Ingles in her place or got her to retire out of frustration. They knew I was edgy, younger, and didn’t like outdated systems in place just because someone like her was so controlling and demanded status quo.
And my exit interview with him, Dr. Townsend told me that he wished I had come to him with any of the problems he knew I had encountered. Since I didn’t, he was forced not to interfere.
It wasn’t that I wasn’t brave enough, but I had listened to bad advice about what was expected of me in my new position that came from someone who, though well meaning, really did not have any idea.
IT WAS BECAUSE I WAS WHO I WAS THAT I HAD GOTTEN THE JOB IN THE FIRST PLACE. It was a hard pill to swallow that I had not known this, and nobody could tell me. Dr. Blue had the best intentions, but my response to his advice ruined the best opportunity I’d had so far in my working career.
I did learn a valuable lesson: “Be yourself and don’t be afraid to speak up and NEVER let someone who you know is wrong intimidate you.”
I went back twice in the 40+ years it’s been since I worked there. The first time was actually to meet my replacement and answer a few questions. I guess everyone decided they were going to have to be more forceful with Mrs. Ingles to stop the horrific inefficiencies that created tremendous unnecessary work to maintain. When Ms. Ingles tried to control the new girl, she was quickly put in her place with a firm, “No. We are doing it my way.”
The second time I went back was within the past couple of years when I visited my granddaughter who’s now a student there. I dropped by the President’s office and told the Assistant who I was.
How flattered I felt cannot be expressed when she jumped up and said, “I’ve heard of you! After you left, they actually found a document you created for streamlining and upgrading systems in the executive offices. We ended up implementing almost everything you’d proposed!”
I couldn’t believe it! That document was so comprehensive it bordered ridiculousness. But I knew back then that Mrs. Ingles was a formidable opponent and that, in order to get more efficient, there had to be a reasonable and very detailed proposal for making very needed changes.
I would have been flattered just to be remembered. But this took the cake!