Sam Donaldson Shares a Holiday Tale

Dec. 23, 2008 — -- The following is a commentary by ABC News' Sam Donaldson. Click here to view a video version of his latest essay.

Family and friends, it's that time of year when we come together in holiday celebration, which got me to thinking about friendship and an ancient story that a Lebanese friend once told me.

"How many friends do you have," he asked. I started counting, and he said, "Stop, let me tell the story of a wealthy Beirut merchant many years ago who, reaching retirement age, asked his son to come into the business and take over."

"Father," said the son, "I am too busy with so many friends who want my company."

"All right," said the father. "I'll give a big party for all your friends." And on the appointed night, hundreds of young people gathered to await the father and their friend, his son. The father showed up alone and said, "I have terrible news. My son, on the way here, ran over by accident a woman in the street and she is dead. And you know in our country when one takes a life, one's own life must be forfeited."

"How terrible!" said the son's friends who soon left. The son upbraided his father for making up such a story.

"I'll show why I did it. Come with me," said the father. And they drove together to the home of one of the father's best friends and asked for advice.

"As it turns out," said the friend, a lawyer, "If you pay a great amount of money, your son will be forgiven. So that is my advice ... pay it."

"Thank you, my friend," said the father, and he and his son drove on to a far less affluent part of Beirut and knocked on the door and the man who answered said, "My friend, I haven't seen you in 10 years, but come in by all means." The father told the story and the man said, "Of course, you can pay the money and I'll tell you what: I'll sell my house and can therefore pay half and you pay the other half and your son's life will be spared."

Father and son drove on to the outskirts of Beirut. It was by now late at night, but an old man came to the door and let them in and said, "We haven't seen each other since our school days, but I have always thought of you as my best friend." And when he heard the father's story, he said, "Don't worry. After all, we will simply tell the authorities your son was not driving the car ... I was ... and his life will be spared."

"So," said the father to his son as they drove home, "After living 70 years and amassing great wealth and honors, I have one and a half true friends." And the next day the young man entered the business.

Happy holidays everyone.

Sam Donaldson, a 41-year ABC News veteran, served two appointments as chief White House correspondent for ABC News, from 1977-1989 and from January 1998 to August 1999, covering Presidents Carter, Reagan and Clinton. Donaldson also co-anchored, with Diane Sawyer, "PrimeTime Live," from August 1989 until it merged with "20/20" in 1999. He co-anchored the ABC News Sunday morning broadcast, "This Week With Sam Donaldson & Cokie Roberts," from December 1996 to September 2002. Currently, Donaldson appears on ABC News Now, the ABC News digital network, in a daily show called "Politics Live."