The morning passed quickly in a flurry of email responses to student queries about their assignment, an annotated bibliography on the topic they've chosen for their final papers.

Then laundry, other domestic crap, a quick look at the front page of the NY Times, and a longer look at the editorial page of the local paper. The letters to the editor have been vitriolic lately, taking one side or the other on what I regard as a grossly misguided attempt to remove a city commissioner in a recall election for her vote (and the feminine pronoun is probably a factor there too) to remove a monolith displaying the ten commandments from the local city hall. The election occurs next Tuesday (December 7).

I made a quick trip to fill the car and to the grocery store to pick up some boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I'm thinking stir fry, and then chicken salad from the leftovers for my lunch tomorrow. On second thought, maybe we're poultried out after this weekend. Tough. If I cook it, they have to eat it. Isn't that a rule?

I proposed an excursion to the boys out to the Konza Prairie but my proposal didn't generate much enthusiasm from Owen or Taylor, caught up as they are in the prospect of trips to stores to choose their Christmas loot.

I'm an easy touch for Sam. He deserves a profile but I have time for just this thumbnail.

Appearance and vocal characteristics: Hal Holbrook-ian.

Politics: the right ones...er, left, I mean.

Occupation: psychiatrist, retired from a successful practice, now an inveterate and ubiquitous advocate of worthwhile local and global causes.

Community service: The world is his community. Delivers on his spoken ideas with local action -- no mere lip service from Sam.

Reasons to choose Sam as a friend:

Delivers homegrown tomatoes in season and cheer year 'round to a huge ring of folks while driving his Honda Civic wagon that must be nearly twenty years old, which he claims will serve as the urn for his cremated remains, and -- most importantly --

I've never ever heard anyone address him as "Doctor So-and-so" [not his real name...duh!]. I have, however, seen passersby offer him their spare change. ("Here you go, old timer. Don't blow this on cheap wine.")

I like and admire Sam a lot.