In the late 18th Century, on the happenstance occasion when a child’s curiosity grew so bold as to wrest his self-control, leading him to press open the squeaky-hinged door leading to the family parlor, he would witness an odd exchange of hands taking place among the elders in the room. Focusing his young eyes forward, he would observe a card dealer posted at the head of the table leading everyone with an ante of six red chips, each colliding musically as they struck in the center. Challenged by the staccato nature of this jingle, all others at the table would then ante 
four of their own, resulting in a slightly louder variation of the first overture. Next, the dealer would distribute the playing cards in provisions of three per participant, each faced down, before flipping a card whose suit would serve as trump throughout the round. A lively roundabout would subsequently ensue: passing of cards to the left, spirited bidding wars, more passing to the left, more lively bidding, large stacks of cards being purchased and slid beneath others, even more vigorous bidding, and then the resultant gasp of surprise and frustration from the first gambler to reveal a Jack or a Five, punitively requiring him to add more red chips to the growing bidding pot. Finally, as the child would begin to tire and retreat to the door through which he had entered, he would be awakened by a scream of joy. His attention newly arrested, he would return his eyes to the table in time to watch as one player amidst the adult congregation revealed the round’s highest trump. Spotting the smiling victor as the cacophony of retracted chips filled the parlor, the adolescent would again reach for the brass doorknob, his curiosity satisfied. Behind him, a rejuvenated, choppy symphony of antes being thrown and conversations re-igniting would sing through the air, as a new dealer refreshed everyone’s hand for a new round of the game called “Speculation”.
Speculation is natural. Similar to those who inhabited the parlors of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, humans tend to reflect on matters for both profit and entertainment. Traders gather en masse within the halls of a Wall Street’s Board of Trade to ferociously buy and sell company stock. Dedicated gamblers commute to Las Vegas casinos to contemplate the spin of a roulette wheel or the toss of the tie. And, locally, Oprah Winfrey-loving tourists pilgrimage to her erstwhile “Harpo” studio, reflecting on its grandeur. Still as popular as ever, the Mississippi-born entertainer made a lasting impression on worldwide cultures, her in-town presence necessitating the capitalization of the “O” in “Chicag’O’”.
“She came in in 1983, when she wasn’t famous,” began Larry Gold, The Wiener Circle’s proprietor.” She was in from Baltimore to do ‘Good 
Morning America’, I think, and became a frequent customer. Then, she came in right before she did The Color Purple.”
As history proves, great success would be due Ms. Winfrey, who would ambitiously navigate foreign waters once The Color Purple was in the can, from producing the film adaptation of a favorite book, Beloved, to teaming with Chicago restaurateur Richard Melman to create The Eccentric, a bistro snugly nestled between northbound city Wells and LaSalle streets. But with recognition came an assured need for great organization, and with that, the need to assemble an entire staff to direct. And to occasionally treat to a special lunch, as well.
“Oprah really helped us to become successful,” stated Rosebud On Taylor’s restaurateur Danny Miller.” She used to come in here all of the time and would talk about us on TV. She’s a good-hearted person, too. She used to call from the studio and order lunch [for her entire staff]. There was a cafeteria [at Harpo Productions], and they would close it. I’d bring the food, a couple servers, and a few busboys to pass it out. When I asked her assistant if [Oprah] wanted anything, she would only ask for a piece of tiramisu.
“But she was very generous, both with us and with her helpers.”
It is common knowledge by now that Ms. Winfrey’s final show aired on a stormy afternoon in the waning days of May, 2011. As a steady rain fell from Chicago-area skies, the host of America’s favorite AM broadcast hugged companion Stedman Graham for one final time under the studio lights as the airing wheezed for breath. Outside, the rain continued, almost as if a team of angels were overhead, crying along with Ms. Winfrey and her worldwide studio audience.
It was certainly an ending that no amount of speculation would ever have surmised.
americanmaitred 