Page 65 - MLD Book
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they would never have. I knew that Melvin’s health was steadily losing ground and that he didn’t have much time left, but they didn’t know that as acutely as I did. I sensed that might be my last time with them, again, because I knew I would never allow Erdman to just kick Melvin out and have me go on as if nothing had happened. It was just a thank you speech, one I had carefully written out. One choir person aware of Erdman’s wishes felt that I had breached confidentiality by even saying anything, although I never mentioned anything at all about the desire to get rid of Melvin. So this person (I have an idea who, but will not name her here), rushed straight to Erdman right before the service began, and said that Margaret had broken confidentiality! I DID NOT!
The Executive Committee met after the service, and I was still there as usual getting ready for Monday food, etc. They stared at me so hatefully when they emerged, that I said HEY, I AM NOT THE ENEMY! The week progressed with strange vibes all around. On the following Thursday, August 22, the two wardens appeared and ushered me into the rector’s office. I naively thought what they would say would simply demand that Melvin no longer would conduct the choir. I should have known better, but I still was shocked when Erdman said that my time at Calvary was over and give me your keys immediately and leave right then! I asked WHY and all Erdman would say was that I had breached confidentiality that Sunday. I still had a copy of what I had written out and even produced it, but by that time, nobody wanted to listen. Minds were made up. Will just sat there. Molly at least escorted me to my car. Inconceivably she said on the way out that they wanted to give us a retirement reception!! I burst into tears and they offered to call me a taxi as they thought I might be too upset to drive. (In reflection later I wondered what they would have done with my car if I left in a taxi!) Another thing I later found humorous was that in my fumbling with my key chain to give back my church key, I mistakenly gave them the key to the upstairs Sunday school rooms! I still have the other one, although it would have done me no good since they changed the locks right away after getting rid of me!
I really don’t think Erdman ever was prepared for the furor that followed, as the word got out quickly that I had been fired. Of course, they hid behind the fact that they were not legally obligated to give me a reason, and they had made it clear that I was not to discuss it for an entire year. They subsequently presented me with a contract on September 17 that stated that if I said anything during the year, I would forfeit my year’s pay that they “graciously” had awarded me. I had to sign it.
During the next couple of weeks, condolences poured in – with my love for writing things down, I counted 289 cards, letters, calls, and gifts that came our way. People left Calvary in protest, among them the Garnars, Linda and Erv Klein, the whole Richardson family, Jeannie and John Briscoe, choir people with Harvey leading the way, among many others. The choir was in shock. Somebody who thought they knew music dug up Meredith Murray to replace me - she was ironically a student of Melvin’s some years back, and then began a parade of subs that included Presbyterians and Austin Clark. He lasted through Christmas, when they suddenly decided on somebody else (can’t remember who), and unceremoniously dropped him. His parents were members of Calvary and were so distressed at that action that they left as well. But this is not a history at this point of what happened at Calvary after us. Back to my firing. With my sudden, hasty forced exit, I was not able to even take my brief case, so they had to let me come back (by appointment!) to get all my stuff, including a whole wall of organ music. That took several sessions that were not painful for me because my dear friends Leroy and Anita were with me every step of the way, and Erdman was so uncomfortable that it was comical. An odd thing was that we had already planned Norma































































































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