Margaret Moth

[dbigtex56]

I remember the place, and approximately the time.

I used to spend my lunch hour at the downtown library,reading the architectural magazines I couldn't afford to buy. One day a rather fearsome woman came in - very confident, and unstylishly dressed all in black. Bear in mind, this was WAY pre-Goth. Circa 1983. Heavy eyeliner, jet-black hair; Uber Urban Animal. She was toting a bulky video camera, and was busily riffing through various art books; propping them up,panning and zooming....naked women, mostly.

My curiosity got the best of me. "Excuse me, but I wonder, what IS it you're doing?" And then she fixed on me the most remarkable pair of eyes I've ever seen.

.Like sapphires. Cobalt blue. Ultramarine.

She was kind. "I work for a local TV station, and they need video for a piece they're doing about breast cancer, and I thought that maybe using fine art might make the point and defeat the censors." (or words to that effect.) I giggled like a fool, which she appreciated. She took people for who they are, and I'm so flattered that she liked me.

Small world! Turns out I know one of her ex-lovers, and her best friend's brother. Next time I saw her, her appearance had changed. Quite drastically. While filming for CNN during the Baltic wars, she had been shot by a sniper. She nearly died, and her lovely face was forever altered. The only regret I ever heard her mention was a wistful desire to play the flute again. Difficult to do, when half of your jaw and much of your tongue have been destroyed. She was no whiner; it was a passing remark. What was important to her was to get back to work. Her greatest fear was that history might not be accurately reported, and she selflessly put her life on the line in pursuit of that goal; if we don't see it, we cannot judge accurately.

Please go to CNN.com and view their lovely tribute to Margaret. I can say without reservation that she's the most remarkable creature I've ever met. And forgive my tears. Love you, Margaret.

[sevfiv]

Here is part 1 of the tribute:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/international/2009/09/21/wus.fearless.margaret.moth.bk.a.cnn

Very neat.

And ps - hey you, dbigtex...long time no see/read!

[little frau]

Thanks for that link.

Earlier last week, Ch. 11 did a very short piece about her and the fact she had worked there for a while. I wondered then what was so special about her to merit a mention considering it's been a number of years since she was in Houston yet not so special that they didn't do an expanded article. Perhaps there's no one left at the station who actually knew her.

I enjoyed the CNN piece and seems she was a remarkable woman.