Picture It...

...Orlando, sometime in the late 90's. A nugget of wisdom preferenced by any other intro would not be as wise. Arguably there is "Back in Saint Olaf..." but then again, we are talking wise here. For some reason I started watching Golden Girls like I was hooked on meth around 1998 and just couldn't....haven't....stopped since. Something about the parqueted floors and bleached wood of that ranch style house did it for me.
!
Estelle Getty left us today, and with her passing, she left behind a legacy that was something truly special. I could recite any tribute page about her humanitarianism, depth of character and advocacy, but I selfishly will tell you instead how she will always be remembered by me.
!
It may come to surprise you that I actually never liked Sophia...well, not the way I admired Dorothy's wit, or dim-witted Rose, and since every Golden Girls personality test I took came back Blanche-positive, I've always sympathized with "the slut." But it was only recently that I realized how important Estelle was beyond her small frame.
!
Estelle was a master at the "no talk." The moments where the finesse of not saying a word, was more powerful than delivering a zinger. I loved how, given the chance, Sophia's character was always close to breaking the 4th wall of disbelief for viewers. Yes, she was snarky, snappy, and sometimes downright mean, but those aren't the things that endeared her to me. In fact, I always pictured myself living there, like Blanche's horrible nephew, and having Sophia be the one who ruined my one-on-one time with dry, witty Dorothy.
!
Oh the fun Dorothy and I would have had going to the library, shopping for groceries at the A&P, checking out bald men as we peered out over the top of our copy of Crime and Punishment. But there would be Sophia, horning in on our quiet time. Soon I too would be the butt of many foul-mouthed tirade by dear old "maw."
!
But sadly, you don't know what you've got until it's gone. For years, I felt sad for poor Estelle who had battled severe dementia which robbed her of her most precious personal memories, and even her time on this beloved show.
!
Yes, If it weren't for the counter balance of her small frame to Bea Arthur's unbelievable height, it just wouldn't have worked. If she would have played victim instead of tormentor, it just wouldn't have worked. If she had stayed a walk on character (as originally intended) and not a permanent member of 6151 Richmond Street....it just wouldn't have worked.
!
For all the reasons that I never liked Sophia Petrillo, I would give anything to have that counter balance available to us right now.
!

Estelle Getty
July 25, 1923 - July 22, 2008
!