savannah storytelling

I dreamed I was out town at a writer’s conference. I was tired and wanted to go to sleep, but my room was full of noisy people, laughing and talking. Even though I was wearing a nightgown and carrying a pillow, went out into the hall of the hotel. As it frequently happens in dreams, the scene changed suddenly and I was in a large auditorium standing in the wings of the stage. I had become smaller, the size of a child, and my pillow was more like a “Linus blanky”. Someone introduced Oprah and she stepped to the podium. She was big and she was beautiful. I wanted to get her attention so I called her name. Oprah ignored me but I was persistent and continued to call her. Finally, she noticed me and smiled that wonderful smile of hers. I went up to her and she gave me a big hug. There was something I wanted to tell her but I couldn’t remember what it was. She turned away to leave and I called out, “No don t leave. I have something to ask you!” But, she waved and went off stage and I knew it was too late. Then, I woke up.

When I am home in the afternoon, I turn on the TV to watch Oprah. The list of interesting guest can go on and on so there is much to learn from watching the Oprah Show. I also like and admire Oprah as a person. She uses her money, her show and her influence to help people. And everyone loves a Cinderella story, a story about someone from a disadvantaged beginning who makes it big by using talents and intelligence.

I’ve been thinking about Oprah a lot lately, thus the dream. I have a serious complaint about her TV show. I believe she has completely neglected the group of women in their seventies. In every show about women’s issues, women in their twenty’s, thirty’s, forty’s, fifty’s, and sixty’s are mentioned. Women in their seventy’s are never included. Why? Are we invisible? No, we are not. We are the largest group in that age category ever in history, and in a few years when more of the baby boomers kick in, we’ll be even larger. Some of us are still working; we are healthy, active, and creative. We have a wealth of knowledge and experience to share.

To give two examples, there was a program a while ago about the style of jeans women should wear at a particular age. The twenty’s through sixty’s were mentioned. What? We don’t wear jeans? In fact we were the first teenagers to wear jeans as a fashion statement. Recently, Rita Wilson, the actress, was on Oprah’s show. She spoke on how women should dress at difference stages of their life. Ages mentioned were twenty to sixty and women in these age groups modeled outfits. The seventy’s woman was left out again.

Since we represent a very large group of consumers, how can the Oprah Show overlook us? How can the sponsors of the show let it happen? Maybe it’s our fault. We have been silent and it’s time for us to speak out. I have written to Oprah three times. She probably never saw my emails since I never received a response. Whoever reads her mail didn’t take it seriously. I intend to write again and to send her a copy of this column.

If you are in my age group and agree with me, write to Oprah and express your feelings. You can make a comment on her website at www.oprah.com/contact us.html Click under ‘The Oprah Show” and it will take you to a link where you can email the producers. Any of you younger senior women can write, too. After all, you will be seventy one day. And you guys can write to support your wife, sister, or mother. The seventy- plus age women deserve to be recognized. Maybe we deserve a whole Oprah show just about us.

I found two addresses for those of you who prefer to write by US mail: Oprah Winfrey, Harpo Productions, P.O. Box 909715, Chicago, Il 60690 and Oprah Winfrey, Harpo Studios, 1058 W. Washington Blvd., Chicago, IL 60607. Phone: (313) 633-1000.