Sam and Larry

"Yes, we talked about...Larry McMurtry," I said, in which she interrupted, exasperated, "Yeah, yeah. Sam can't come to the phone." He was in his room being "punished."

The next time I called she said he was out. Asked when he might return, she said, "Maybe a few minutes--or could be two or three weeks."

Laura Goodenough

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• Larry McMurtry
• James McMurtry
• Bruce Jay Friedman
• Gary Acord
• Kinky Friedman

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I called a week later, and Sam the man answered himself. Finally, here he was on the phone. I invited him to a party for Now Dig This: The Unspeakable Writings of Terry Southern, to perhaps read a chapter. I reminded him of his night of revelry at the Winedale. He didn't remember. He said he'd never heard of Larry McMurtry, Bruce Jay Friedman, Terry Southern--or even Josh Alan or the Winedale for that matter. I should stop bothering him. End of conversation.

And so, when the moon is full and Sam takes his act back on the road, the Winedale awaits his return. The Winedale is a most democratic institution. Small though it may be, there's room for the homeless, the celebrated, for bums and models--and even impostors. Sam, come back.