THE LOST SON OF SAM LETTERS

The Great Berko

Much of the communication between Evans and Sam was rooted in fantasy. Sam generally wrote to Evans when he was put in what he described as "Keep lock." It was Sam's way of keeping in contact with what was going on inside the small section of the prison he liked to believe he was the master and commander of.

"My brother," he wrote to Evans one afternoon, "I will ... be out of KL [soon] ... then I will try to get into ARCHITECTUAL DRAFTING to obtain a degree in Lighthouse Structualization [sic] and Interior Design. Then I will build a lighthouse! Goodbye cruel world. There will be No Trespassers near my Lighthouse."

At the time, Evans had been thinking about getting into drafting after his prison term ended. He was an exceptional artist, in some respects; he made stained glass window pictures, paintings and drawings, and was fairly good with a pencil. He felt drafting could set him on the right track—although, as soon as he was released he always went right back to thieving (and killing), justifying it by saying it was too easy (and lucrative).

Sam had a strange sense of humor, and in just about every letter he wrote to Evans, he tended to throw in at least one joke of some sort. Evans would often choose various books and music tapes for Sam and send them to him when they were apart. Fleetwood Mac was a Son of Sam favorite. Evans had sent him some organ music once, for which all Sam wrote back, was "zzzzzzz ... Play this music for someone on their death bed—they'll go quicker. See you before Christmas, I think. The Great Berko."