Mr. Carson of Downton Abbey and My Library Visit

Mr. Carson of Downton Abbey

I’ve written before about Downton Abbey and my favorite character, the butler Mr. Carson, played by Jim Carter.

Today, I was at my local library, the Wilmot Branch of the Pima County Public Library.  I was going to the front desk of the library, so my friend Karen, who works there, could change a five-dollar bill for me so I could use the soda machine.

A young girl, probably about eight was with what looked to be her Grandma, (I certainly didn’t ask, that can cause all kinds of embarrassment).

I was wearing my red shirt that says Carson’s Butler Service The Way Things Used to Be.  It has a black figure, who is supposed to be Mr. Carson in his black tuxedo to serve dinner.

Grandma was reading the writing on my shirt out loud.  She asked what it was.  I asked if she’d seen Downton Abbey on Channel 6, KUAT here in Tucson.

She said, she’d never seen it or heard of it.  I asked what she thought it was.  She thought it was a local catering company where I was employed.  She neglected to read the bottom of the shirt which says Downton, England.

The little girl then asked me if Mr. Carson is black.  I answered “No, but the one Downton Abbey episode, where the character of Mr. Carson had to deal with a black person, was different. (I speak of the episode, where the jazz musician, played by Gary Carr, came into the kitchen.)  I told the young lady, the character that is Mr. Carson was shocked when a black man walked into HIS servant quarters.  Mr. Carson had to grab the table from the shock.

I should’ve stopped at no with the young lady.  The two men on line behind me were African-American.  As my London friend, Sue said on Facebook.   OOPS.