He’s getting to be quite old these days. Most of you know Samuel. I personally am well acquainted with the man, having observed him during my lifetime as both he and I marched through the years together. Let me introduce him.

For one thing, he likes his stuff. Or perhaps we should say he likes to acquire things. Can’t fault him there, can we? I mean, what red-blooded American doesn’t like the good life? Wine, women and song, yessirree.

I believe he developed a taste for growing at a young age and it just came natural after a while. It’s easy enough, you know. You get this, you purchase that, it feels good, and before long you’re borrowing for this and borrowing for that. Land, buildings, equipment, employees and after awhile you’re expanding beyond your wildest dreams.

All good things, mind you, but they can be intoxicating. Seems there’s always just a few more things needed. Just a few.

Now I took a peek at Samuel’s books. Just checking, you know. And between you and I he owes quite a bit. In fact — and if you tell anyone I’ll swear it didn’t come from me — he spends more than he makes! I don’t know how he does it. And he’s been doing it for years!

Borrowed, I tell you. All borrowed. The amount that man owes, why it would scare the feathers off a chicken. Every year it gets bigger and bigger, and he just keeps rolling along, whistling a tune, as if it didn’t bother him. I don’t know how he’ll ever pay it back.

I’d be shaking in my boots, but he just keeps writing checks. If I were the one who loaned him all that money, I’d be getting a little nervous and think twice about loaning him more. I guess he’s counting on his children paying it back. Or maybe his grandchildren. Who knows.

But I’m not worrying about it. Hey, I’ve got my house and my car and my own bills to think about. And by the time his big bills come due, I should be long gone. But I wish him well.

By the way, I noticed this guy’s got a lot of relatives around. Most folks call him Uncle Sam.