A Lady Named Sam

Nearly all the neighbors admired Sam for being adventuresome. Some might have claimed the spirited lady was nothing but a headstrong maverick or a bit crazy, but as most of us knew, she treated friend and stranger with both respect and fairness. We were all equal in her eyes, she always said.

She will admit to being fiercely independent, being raised as a pioneer sort, so Sam is opinionated to a fault, but the wealthy woman has always worked hard and has more inventive ideas than anyone else on the planet. She also shows a great sense of humor, and she laughs at herself a lot.

She is not shy at all.

But now the complex lady finds herself in some serious trouble with a few critics. Several self-important detractors have recently called her past into question. Serious charges have been made against her deeds and actions. There are even those that say the very core of her character is not just flawed and misguided, but led by dark and evil intentions. These people are very, very angry with Sam.

Where this will all lead I cannot begin to imagine, but I must stand by her.

Sam goes out of her way to aid the less-fortunate. I have seen her carry food to hungry neighbors. I have watched her deliver clothes to those without, and I know she hires and sends able builders to some that have lost a home, due to fire or flood. She has a good heart, this woman.

You may think I speak as one familiar with Sam, for that I am. And because of that, I love her dearly. Yet there are things about the old gal that I fail to grasp. But even still, I know that as I matured, I tried showing respect for her various and numerous beliefs. And she never failed to treat me better than I deserved.

I have watched her over the years be stern with a few that I thought merited a more unkind fate, but I figured she had a right to do what she wanted, knowing how humane and just she is. I have to believe that no matter what the outcome, I will always hold her dear in this simple heart of mine.

She came from what should be described as humble beginnings. In fact, her unique origins are a bit vague and somewhat arguable, to my way of thinking. I picture some of her relatives from the past as people one might associate with ignoble gamblers or wretched criminals, from the stories I heard as a child. I don’t mean to say they were insignificant or negligible in some critical sense, for one has to admit their daring and fool-hardy acts certainly brought a new manner of thinking to bear to all of us. That affect is still felt, even to this day.

Sam loved her father passionately. I suspect he was never as saintly as she often claims, but I do give George W. credit for being both clever and responsible. He set events in motion that clearly enabled Sam and her offspring to prosper, and she never forgot this.

She went all out when it came to remembering occasions. The rest of us fell right in behind her, inspired to follow her exuberance. There were times when we got dressed up in the silliest of costumes and took to the streets, just for the fun of it. Who doesn’t love a parade?

Some accomplished neighbor has a birthday coming up? Sam gives us a day off from work to celebrate.

If a man or a woman found a novel way of doing things, or they discovered something that had never been seen before, why, that would qualify as a proper reason to throw a party.

I personally think it prompted some folk to go searching for new ideas, but I admit to attending several of these functions anyway.

Yes, and some that live across town are now grumbling about Sam and her lavish ways. I wish it weren’t so, but it’s true. They are unhappy, and they are hostile neighbors. They openly dislike her immensely, and all that she represents.

We have caught several trying to break in to her home, and they have admitted this brazen act publicly. They have intentions to destroy her, and brag shamelessly of this. They wish to kill Sam and all of us.

These are the have-nots and the do little but complain people, as far as I can tell. I don’t see them in any good light at all. They are dangerous, I know. They are serious, too. They may try, and they might succeed in the end.

But I will stand with Sam, by jingo. She has been a good uncle, so she deserves my support.