Douglas, Sam

Sam Douglas

Literary short stories

Sam was born in the southern US, in the days when people devoted their lives to the industry they worked for — in his parent’s case, a textile company. His family lived in a tiny white frame house in the company’s cotton mill village, bought most of their supplies from the company store, and he and his two sisters attended the village’s elementary school.

Developing his love of the written word at high school, Sam’s first writings consisted of songs nobody heard and stories which no one but he himself read — true labors of love. Although he excelled in academics and was voted Best Student in his graduating high school class, there was no money in the family budget for college, so at the tender age of 18, Sam enlisted in the United States Air Force.

After technical training in Cryptanalysis, then advanced training at the National Security Agency (NSA), Sam was assigned to the Air Force Security Service. For most of his first enlistment, Sam served in Germany, which at the time was the front line in the Cold War. He was there during the ill-fated Hungarian Revolution and decoded electronic communications sent by the Freedom Fighters. During this time, Sam met and fell in love with his wife of forty years, whom he married near the end of that enlistment. In all, Sam spent 28 years in the military, serving in Vietnam and Thailand during the Southeast Asian War on active duty.

Sam continued to write throughout his career, penning short stories, poetry and essays. He made little effort to market his writing at the time, but since retiring from his service career has successfully placed much of his work. He also studied while serving, earning both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree using the GI Bill and night classes. Sam’s work has appeared in various university, small press, and on-line publications.

He has many plans in the pipeline, one of which is to write a novel based on his wife’s life before she met him, and of her family’s struggle to survive the Second World War after being forced from their village in East Germany by Russian and Czech occupation. Her family made a perilous crossing from East Germany to the west, and then had to survive in an environment which did not welcome them. It is a fascinating story, and Sam hopes that someday he can tell it with the elegance it deserves.

Sam and his wife have two adult sons who left the nest when Sam was in his final assignment to Europe.

Sam Douglas short stories

Trip of a Lifetime by Sam Douglas

They put it off for far too long.  Now, in their retirement, it’s time to make the long road-trip that will have them visiting four of America’s biggest wonders.  Each place is symbolic of nature’s artistic hand and hope for humankind.  Each place takes a part of them forever.  (Literary)

EDITOR’S NOTE: A sad, yet an evocative and uplifting story.  The main character’s enthusiasm is infectious, leaving me with the urge to make the same trip, though maybe I won’t postpone it quite so long.  Enjoy.  —womblin