Viewing page 103 of 146

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

97

Waco             

Buddie up to his familiar perch, on his shoulder, and then the rest of the greetings were made. God was in Heaven, we all belonged: It was so right in every way, all the pieces fit to-gether easily.

Sam had grown into a man, physically and mentally. No longer was he the the, underweight, serious, reserved young man of starvation days. He looked every inch the successful young business executive. He was expansive..... he said, hugging me close..... complete. He had brought Buddie a steam engine, and Charlie, who was starved for aviation lingo, (as who wasn't), and the routine of family life, dinner, children to bed, I didn't get much time with Sam. Charlie didn't follow his wife's considerate example that evening and retire with her. So when midnight rolled around, I told Charlie he must be tired and need his night's rest. Charlie gulped, Sam howled with laughter, and Charlie decided he might as well too.. and he went to bed. Sam congratulated me one my courage. "Phooey," said I, "wot [[what]] courage?"

The next day, Charlie talked most of the day, discussing old times, taking Sam out on the sloping porch roof, off the bedroom. Guess he remembered I was always able to stump him on a trapeze, so he asked, if I would spare Sam to him, "As long as I was going to have Sam for the rest of my life." Sam and I looked at each other as Charlie said that, and the tears showed in Sam's eyes as he put his head in the window and kissed me, his lips trembling. I knew his heart prayed as did mine, "make it for the rest of our lives, dear God."

At four o'clock, the minister arrived. Sam said, whimsically, "As long as we live in the world, I suppose we must have the conventional