static variables: "no symbol X in current context"

[Michael Hamilton]

System: Linux 2.2.16-22 (Redhat 7.?)
GDB 5.0 (run inside of xemacs)

I don't know if this is a bug or just my problem, but, I haven't been
able to figure out how to fix it despite looking at FAQs and docs and
websearches.

I have a local variable declared static in a subroutine my code.  In
gdb, when inside the subroutine, I use

> p x
No symbol "x" in current context.

This only seems to happen when running GDB on Linux.  When I run it on
a solaris/sun machine, it gives me the value.  Non-static vars seem to
work fine.

What am I missing?

Thanks,
Mike