Blog 3486 – 05.20.2025

A Classic Scene

If you have watched many movies you have probably seen a certain classic scene repeated in more than a few of them. One of the first and more famous uses of this particular scene was in the movie Gone With The Wind.

If you know the story it involves Ashley Wilkes and his wife Melanie Wilkes. Ashley has been away fighting for the Confederacy and Scarlett O’Hara has taken care of Ashely’s wife Melanie and their baby because of a promise that she made Ashley while he was on a Christmas leave from the war. The war is over and the soldiers are returning home and Melanie is taking care of these wounded and defeated men who show up at their door hungry, ragged, often wounded, and infested with lice. Her reasoning is that she hopes some northern lady might be showing compassion on her Ashley walking the roads trying to get home to her.

Melanie and Scarlet are both watching the roads for Ashley. At one point Mammy castigates Scarlet reminding her that Ashley is Melanie’s husband and that Scarlet is waiting for him ”Just like a spider.”

Melanie is the first to recognize the tattered and bent form at the end of the driveway as her beloved finally returns to her and she runs to him and he to her and they meet in a wonderful embrace. It is a classic scene.

Last Saturday my wife and I visited our son Jay and our twenty-one month old granddaughter Emma. She usually naps between 2pm and 4pm so we try to visit before 2 or after 4. Saturday we arrived about 3:30 pm because we want to have a little time with Jay before Emma woke up from her nap.

Shortly after we got there and while we were talking with our son we could hear Emma singing to herself on the baby monitor. She was awake, so I said to Jay, “I guess Emma will let you know when she is ready for you to get her.” He replied, “She certainly will.” And a few minutes later Emma started to fuss so Jay went to get her. As he carried her into the living room she flashed us a big smile and when he put her down she ran to me and jumped up into my arms. My heart fluttered in utter delight. A few minutes later Emma and I repeat that classic scene.

How I love that little girl and how thrilling it is that she loves her PaPa too.

Your friend and fellow traveler,

David James White