Glory
February 22, 2010
Dear Glory,
Are your parents doing counseling? Maybe they should take another vacation together. Sometimes my parents go to Milwaukee to spend time together. It's not the most exciting place, but they say anywhere without all of us kids is romantic.
I don't think things will be ending anytime soon with Ashley. Lately she's been talking about our future together, like where we’re going to go to college and when we’re going to get married. It's a little scary, actually.
Sometimes I do wonder if I'm dreaming. Once I had this dream where I was at my school and I was trying to find my Geometry class, but every classroom I went into was the band room. It was really frustrating, and I totally thought it was real. Or sometimes I think about what it would be like if we lived in a virtual reality, like in that movie Avatar. Have you seen that yet? If I were to live virtually I would want it to be in a world where everything was controlled by music.
Anyway, I hope your parents can work things out.
Bye,
Collin
April 5, 2010
Dear Collin,
My parents are getting a divorce. I don’t really want to write about it. Will you tell me a funny story? I need a distraction.
I saw Avatar. I didn’t really like it that much, it was so unrealistic. But I guess if I was going to live in a virtual world I’d want it to be one where everyone made the right choices and everything made sense.
All the girls on the volleyball team threw an end of season party, but I didn't go because I didn't feel like it, and they were all drinking beer and the cops came, so I guess I dodged a bullet there, but I still kind of wish I had gone because I keep hearing all these awesome stories about it.
I was going to go to prom with a group of my girl friends, but Allie got asked by some guy on the debate team, and Sasha’s parents suddenly decided they were all going to go to the Bahamas that weekend, so I’ll probably just stay home and watch movies. Or maybe I'll go skydiving.
I know I sound really pathetic right now, but please write me back.
Sincerely,
Glory
May 20, 2010
Dear Glory,
I’m really sorry about your parents, that must be awful. I sort of feel bad talking about funny things, but I did actually have something pretty crazy happen to me. Last week when I was working at the store, this older lady came in and just stood there, staring at me. When I asked her if I could help her, she said: “Yes, you can marry me. I'm in love with you.” Then she sang this song to me about a hamster, and shefollowed me all around the store, and finally the manager had to escort her out. It was weird.
Last weekend I took my guitar downtown and performed on the street. I was nervous about it at first, but after about 10 minutes I just started having fun. And I made a lot of money from people listening or passing by. I think I'll be doing that all summer.
I'm sorry again about your parents. I hope you're doing okay.
Bye,
Collin
Chapter Nine: Twelfth Grade
June 6, 2010
Dear Collin,
Sometimes in downtown Phoenix I see this guy dressed like a pirate on stilts and he sings and juggles and blows fire out of his mouth. That’s what I imagined when you said you performed on the street, but I'm sure you don’t actually look like that.
Thanks for telling me that funny story. It sounds like you attract all sorts of women. I’ve gotten a little more used to the fact that my parents are getting divorced, but I still don’t really like to think about it. I’ve spent a lot of time hiding out under my mom’s desk, even though they’re not fighting that much anymore. Now they hardly talk to each other at all, and sometimes my dad leaves and doesn't come home for three or four days. Do you know how they told me they were getting divorced? They bought me a new telescope, and then they broke the news to me, as if a big present was supposed to make it all okay. I haven’t even used it yet. I haven't been in the mood for astronomy stuff lately. Hopefully I get in the mood for it in time for working at space camp.
