Master quilter Geraldine Nash (R) talks to her former math teacher, Gustina Atlas, who is now her quilting student, about their friendship.
Originally aired January 29, 2008 on NPR’s News & Notes.
Transcript
Gustina Atlas (GA): Do you remember when I first came here to quilt?
Geraldine Nash (GN): Yes! Do I remember! I walked, in you were sitting in a chair, and I said, ’Oh lord why is she here?’ I said, ’This woman was at my school, now she’s at my work.’
GA: But then your attitude sort of changed toward me. What happened?
GN: When I was in high school I was always afraid of you. I just perceived you as mean woman. Then after I got to know you, you was very nice.
GA: What else do you do other than quilt. Do you have a life after quilting?
GN: There is no life after quilting. I goes home, go in the kitchen and fix myself a sandwich or something and then go on back to the sewing machine.
GA: I think over the years we have really learned quite a bit from each other. When I first came I didn’t know anything about quilting and then you started telling me and giving me all kinds of hints. I remember one thing you say, ’Don’t you let everybody quilt on your quilt,’ and I said why, and you say, ’No two people quilt alike.’ That was the best advice you could’ve given me because after I saw other people quilting. Your right we each have our own style.
GN: One of the things that just really sticked to me that I learned from you was not to let somebody else’s attitude determine how I’m going to act. And if I had a problem, I would just say, ’Mrs. G,’ you’d just give me all this advice and I would say, ’Ok, I can do that.’
GA: Is there anything you want to tell me about myself that you haven’t? (laughs)
GN: (laughs)
GA: Do I have any bad habits that you don’t like?
GN: I was just always afraid of you…but I’m not that anymore.
GA: You have one that I don’t like.
GN: Okay, what’s that?
GA: You have no tact. (laughs) Say if a person hair needs combing, you wouldn’t say, ’Oh. uh, why don’t you go look in the mirror and see what you can do for your hair.’ You’d just walk up to them, ”Go comb your hair!” Let me ask you this, do you think we will always stay in contact with each other?
GN: I hope we will. (laughs)
GA: (laughs)
GN: Cause I just truly enjoy your company.