Gail Poole

To Respect a Man Gail Poole

Dr. Connelly was the first African American man to be allowed to attend Belmont. His dream of becoming a doctor was paramount to his existence. He endured racial slurs, being excluded from group norm of the university, and even physical altercations, yet he never wavered from his dream. Meeting Cathy, a white woman training to be a nurse, was a godsend for him. She refused to let the prejudices of others dictate her life. They became friends in spite of the abuses she endured because of it. This was at a time soon after Martin Luther King was assassinated, and change had begun, but the bigotry society was not ready to accept blacks as equals nor seeing interracial couples. After graduation, their lives went in different directions only to meet again at the Memphis hospital where he had secured a position. Three years had passed. Both had feelings for one another but had never expressed them until then. They fell in love but had to meet secretly, so as not to hinder Daniel's career. He needed to be an example for other young African American men. He made the decision to accept a prestigious position in New York, leaving the woman he loved behind. He later married the African American daughter of the head of Atherton Memorial in New York to advance his opportunities. Yet his love for Cathy was always present. She returned to Atlanta to live with her grandmother until her son was born. She had kept her secret from Daniel, not wanting to destroy his chance to fulfill his dream. They both struggled with the realistic side of life. Their love was so strong. Follow the years of their pain and never-ending love. Life has a way of making a full circle.