Where there's smoke...

I am a huge Agatha Christie fan. I've read almost everything she has written--at least once. Some numerous times. And then there are the Hollywood and BBC productions that get farther and farther away from the actual books. Not a fan of that.

Christie depicts those quaint villages and family mansions with a flare that fascinates and draws you right in. No denying that's my influence for Rolling Rivers and the Archer Estate. Rolling Rivers is a small, fictional town with Virginia foothills on one side and Chesapeake Bay swamp on the other. The residents are an eclectic bunch of artists and misfits with a villain or two hiding out.

The Archer Estate was built with stolen money and materials that no one talks about. The occupants of the house are not what they seem. And what goes on when the lights go out is anybody's guess. Yours actually.

A subtle but common theme throughout many of Christie's stories is, "where there's smoke, there's fire." I've come to realize there is a lot of truth in that old saying. A person may not be guilty of exactly what they are accused of, but there's usually a reason they were accused in the first place.

So it is with conspiracy theories. More on that topic later.

What do we do with our opinions?

In Working for Uncle Henry, Henry gives his nephew Parker this warning. It's a piece of dialogue that came to me but also made me think and ask myself "how often do I criticize things I really don't understand?" I didn't like my answer.

We all have opinions. Some of us more than others. Some of us feel compelled to share our opinions more than others. I might be one of them, sometimes anyway. While I would like to think I've gained a little wisdom and discretion with age, Henry made me realize I still have room for improvement. I expect most of us do.

So what do we do with our opinions? Henry's challenge can be a good starting place. Certainly it isn't wrong to have opinions. God did give us brains to think beyond what he gave the rest of creation. Often our opinions are about things we know little about in the grand scheme. Admitting that can give us pause to consider the other side of the story, and there is ALWAYS at least one other side.

When we haven't walked in someone else's shoes, we can't fully understand them. And there will be many things we never understand. We don't have to. But we do have to admit we don't understand and share our opinions, when needed, bathed in that admission.

The Confidence Game

Samuel Archer was a master conman. Determined not to go down like predecessor Charles Ponzi, Samuel kept a low profile most of the time and chose his marks carefully. These same actions made him a good spy as well.

Most of Samuel's swindles would be hard to pull off today thanks to the communication and other technology at our fingertips. But people still get taken every day. Whether it's the Nigerian Prince email, a self-help guru, Ponzi scheme investments, internet dating romance scam, or one of the many others. Unfortunately, there is still a "sucker born every minute." Don't be one of them.