In “The Speckled Beauty: A Dog and His People,” Rick Bragg recounts a conversation he has with his brother Sam, who is battling cancer. Thinking of his possible death, Sam says with regret, “The one thing I hate is that I ain’t got no legacy. I mean, you’ve got the books, when you die.”
Rick assures Sam that he will indeed leave behind a fine legacy, telling him that friends and neighbors will mourn his passing and say, “Sam Bragg was a good man.” He says he’s heard a woman or two say Sam used to be good-looking once.