Not a man to be budged
My mother’s brother, Sam, defined the lexicon, “piece of work.” He was Gibraltar, the Great Pyramid, Jonah, and Antarctica. He wasn’t going to be moved or pushed out of the way for anything or anyone. He had a heart of gold and a will of steel. He had no match on earth, except for Aunt Vera. He might have been Samson but she was Delilah.
There were many times when Sammy stepped in it or was challenged. For instance, when he was a boy, his father, my grandfather (Pop), would warn him to not tease the dog, a German Shepard. Sammy wasn’t afraid of anything with four legs. He would tease the dog and stick out his tongue at it; once too many, the dog bit him, scarred his nose and almost took his tongue. Who did they move, the dog of course.
Sam had a lot of friends. His loyalty to them knew no bounds and they were forever. Sometimes he would embarrass them. Sam, Vera and a bunch of plumbing buddies along with my Mom and Dad were headed on a tropical vacation courtesy of a local plumbing distributor. They were flying out of SFO to Mexico with a stop in Los Angeles for a short layover. The airline made a few mistakes. Allowing Sammy on board, initially, was one of them, especially after he had lubricated himself at the airport bar and then on the airplane on the way to their brief stop in LA. Once in LA, passengers were encouraged to deplane, stretch their legs and refresh. Sammy knew good advice when he heard it and was off to the bar. Suddenly, there was the final boarding call to the continuation flight to Mexico. Vera collar-managed Sam and lead him reluctantly to the aircraft, embarrassed to reluctantly depart the lecture that he was giving bar side.
At the aircraft, they discovered unknown passengers in their seats who had boarded while they stretched. That’s all Sammy needed, a confrontation after a humiliation. There was not much in the way of conciliatory discussion going on in the aisle between Sammy and his newfound enemies. Finally, the airline personnel, as is their way, offered Sam the ultimate avenue in order to keep the peace all around; take the alternate seats offered or get off the plane. Sam, true to his nature got off the plane and caught a flight back to SFO without Delilah who was unable to use her usually dominant manner. Sammy stayed at home a day or two when those that had proceeded without him, decided that the silence without Sam was unbearable and got him a first class ticket to Mexico. Guess who won that fight?
I’ve always believed my Dad to be a very intelligent person and quick learner. His decision to take my Mom on a trip to Reno with Sam and Vera dumbfounded me after the Mexicombata excursion but off they went with the promise of Sam’s good behavior. They stayed at a casino called the El Dorado, located in the heart of the Reno gambling mecca. It was a new facility whose décor left its competitors languishing. Everyone wanted to be there. Sammy had a connection for the venue as was his nature. A friend of a friend who obviously didn’t know Sammy personally set it up for the two couples. Delilah (Aunt Vera) was continuously admonishing Sam about his behavior and demeanor lest they spoil another vacation opportunity. Sammy promised to be on his best behavior.
It was late one night when Mom, Dad and Vera decided that they had enough gambling combat and headed room ward with the promise from Sammy that he would behave if left alone.
It didn’t take long for Sam to engage in controversy through no fault of his own. It seems one of the security personnel had been pressured to keep low life street dwellers from doing a “casino cruise”; a term referring to street bums who would walk through the casino floor and help themselves to cocktails left unguarded by legitimate patrons. Sammy resembled, closely, one of those who had been shown the door regularly. The security guard, eager to please his superiors, seized on the opportunity and approached Sam. The conversation was one way. An overbearing security guard confronted Sam in an authoritative manner and demanded that he depart immediately. Sam didn’t say anything. He just gave that “I am Sam Grado and I don’t move” look. Keeping in mind his promise of good behavior, Sam merely stated to the officer that he was mistaken; he was not the person in question and wasn’t leaving.
A call for reinforcements was made; Sammy suddenly found himself confined in the security office cuffed and on a chair. The regular security people were not getting anywhere with Sam, suspected of being a common street bum who was regularly ejected and now refused to leave. The Reno police were summoned. They assumed that security was on the mark and threaten Sammy with overnight lodging courtesy of the citizens of Reno. Sammy finally spoke out, “Why would I want to stay with you when I have my own room here. There is a room key in my pocket just check it out,” said Sam to his stunned onlookers. They advanced towards Sam’s pocket carefully (he did look dangerous) and pulled out a room card for room 1324, with the name Sam Grado handwritten on the pass. Not only did he have a room key but it was endorsed with a VIP signature. There were hard gulps all around.
It was 1:00am and everyone was asleep in adjoining rooms 1324 and 1325. In came Sammy with an announcement. “Wake up, we have reached Nirvana,” he proclaimed in his sermon on the mount projectory. Sam described his latest adventure under the skeptical stare of the trio. “I told them that if they didn’t comp everything that they have here, I’ll sue and own this place and change the name of it from the El Dorado to the EL GRADO.
With the announcement, Sammy reached into his pockets and produced a room bill marked paid in full and stacks of complimentary drink and food tickets for any restaurant or bar in the casino/hotel. Further, they had unlimited money credit throughout their stay.
Guess who won that fight?
There were many times when Sammy stepped in it or was challenged. For instance, when he was a boy, his father, my grandfather (Pop), would warn him to not tease the dog, a German Shepard. Sammy wasn’t afraid of anything with four legs. He would tease the dog and stick out his tongue at it; once too many, the dog bit him, scarred his nose and almost took his tongue. Who did they move, the dog of course.
Sam had a lot of friends. His loyalty to them knew no bounds and they were forever. Sometimes he would embarrass them. Sam, Vera and a bunch of plumbing buddies along with my Mom and Dad were headed on a tropical vacation courtesy of a local plumbing distributor. They were flying out of SFO to Mexico with a stop in Los Angeles for a short layover. The airline made a few mistakes. Allowing Sammy on board, initially, was one of them, especially after he had lubricated himself at the airport bar and then on the airplane on the way to their brief stop in LA. Once in LA, passengers were encouraged to deplane, stretch their legs and refresh. Sammy knew good advice when he heard it and was off to the bar. Suddenly, there was the final boarding call to the continuation flight to Mexico. Vera collar-managed Sam and lead him reluctantly to the aircraft, embarrassed to reluctantly depart the lecture that he was giving bar side.
At the aircraft, they discovered unknown passengers in their seats who had boarded while they stretched. That’s all Sammy needed, a confrontation after a humiliation. There was not much in the way of conciliatory discussion going on in the aisle between Sammy and his newfound enemies. Finally, the airline personnel, as is their way, offered Sam the ultimate avenue in order to keep the peace all around; take the alternate seats offered or get off the plane. Sam, true to his nature got off the plane and caught a flight back to SFO without Delilah who was unable to use her usually dominant manner. Sammy stayed at home a day or two when those that had proceeded without him, decided that the silence without Sam was unbearable and got him a first class ticket to Mexico. Guess who won that fight?
I’ve always believed my Dad to be a very intelligent person and quick learner. His decision to take my Mom on a trip to Reno with Sam and Vera dumbfounded me after the Mexicombata excursion but off they went with the promise of Sam’s good behavior. They stayed at a casino called the El Dorado, located in the heart of the Reno gambling mecca. It was a new facility whose décor left its competitors languishing. Everyone wanted to be there. Sammy had a connection for the venue as was his nature. A friend of a friend who obviously didn’t know Sammy personally set it up for the two couples. Delilah (Aunt Vera) was continuously admonishing Sam about his behavior and demeanor lest they spoil another vacation opportunity. Sammy promised to be on his best behavior.
It was late one night when Mom, Dad and Vera decided that they had enough gambling combat and headed room ward with the promise from Sammy that he would behave if left alone.
It didn’t take long for Sam to engage in controversy through no fault of his own. It seems one of the security personnel had been pressured to keep low life street dwellers from doing a “casino cruise”; a term referring to street bums who would walk through the casino floor and help themselves to cocktails left unguarded by legitimate patrons. Sammy resembled, closely, one of those who had been shown the door regularly. The security guard, eager to please his superiors, seized on the opportunity and approached Sam. The conversation was one way. An overbearing security guard confronted Sam in an authoritative manner and demanded that he depart immediately. Sam didn’t say anything. He just gave that “I am Sam Grado and I don’t move” look. Keeping in mind his promise of good behavior, Sam merely stated to the officer that he was mistaken; he was not the person in question and wasn’t leaving.
A call for reinforcements was made; Sammy suddenly found himself confined in the security office cuffed and on a chair. The regular security people were not getting anywhere with Sam, suspected of being a common street bum who was regularly ejected and now refused to leave. The Reno police were summoned. They assumed that security was on the mark and threaten Sammy with overnight lodging courtesy of the citizens of Reno. Sammy finally spoke out, “Why would I want to stay with you when I have my own room here. There is a room key in my pocket just check it out,” said Sam to his stunned onlookers. They advanced towards Sam’s pocket carefully (he did look dangerous) and pulled out a room card for room 1324, with the name Sam Grado handwritten on the pass. Not only did he have a room key but it was endorsed with a VIP signature. There were hard gulps all around.
It was 1:00am and everyone was asleep in adjoining rooms 1324 and 1325. In came Sammy with an announcement. “Wake up, we have reached Nirvana,” he proclaimed in his sermon on the mount projectory. Sam described his latest adventure under the skeptical stare of the trio. “I told them that if they didn’t comp everything that they have here, I’ll sue and own this place and change the name of it from the El Dorado to the EL GRADO.
With the announcement, Sammy reached into his pockets and produced a room bill marked paid in full and stacks of complimentary drink and food tickets for any restaurant or bar in the casino/hotel. Further, they had unlimited money credit throughout their stay.
Guess who won that fight?
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