My Mother loved Rod Serling.
My father was director of Public Relations for Emerson College when Mr. Serling received his honorary degree in 1971. There was a party for him and my mother was talking to Mr. Serling when some VIP came up and began speaking to Mr. Serling, completely cutting my mother out of the conversation.
Mr. Serling told this person, “Excuse me, I’m talking to Mary.” and resumed his conversation with my mother, ignoring the VIP. My mother told me this story as an example of how being Important (or thinking you are) doesn’t excuse you from good manners and it has stayed with me my entire life. Mr. Serling was a true gentleman.
—Joseph Greeley
