Elephants, Animals & Penpals

Dear W,
When Christmas morning finally arrived, yours was the first present I opened. Such a nice little elephant to join my collection on my bookcase. Thank you very much. I wish you could see them all! In glass, fabric, wood, china, soapstone, etc.

Well! Finally! Your package left our Post Office on 24 January. I'm really terribly sorry it's so late. I want to mention a few items: some of the things won't be wrapped, for they aren't "presents", but were given to me and I want to pass them on to you. I'm sure your family will groan when they see the number of clippings, articles, and newspaper pictures. So look them over (fun to do on a rainy or snowy afternoon), and toss them out. I just couldn't bear to. The trouble is that you and I just love animals and suffer along with the ones who are mistreated. I'm sure your grandmother would enjoy seeing the material that concerns Hawaii.

Speaking of animals, I have taken a dislike to Garfield. Maybe I'm a dog person. In this order are my favorites 1) Snoopy, 2) Howard Huge, 3) Odie (the pup with Garfield). A while ago, our two newspapers every day for a whole month published pictures of dogs and cats supplied by the Humane Society and begging people to adopt them. I thought the month would never end. I suffered terribly; they just haunted me. I wanted to take every single one! I'd love to own a huge ranch so I could adopt every unwanted and hurt animal I could find.

I got a great idea for you - if your father and mother agree. Every Sunday in our paper there is a column of mostly teenagers from all over the world who want "pen pals". I am enclosing a few which I marked as suggestions. Because you are so mature you could answer some who are a few years older than requested. And if you are taking a foreign language in school, you might correspond with another teenager in that country. The letters you write are so interesting and you are into so many activities. I'm sure you'd have an exciting correspondence with someone nearer your age. (But don't give ME up!) And here are a few aerogrammes that can go to any foreign country. But don't forget you can't enclose anything - a clipping, an article, a picture. Later you can send those in a regular letter, and take to the Post Office to find out how much it will cost.

Tell me about your Christmas and your birthday. One more thing. I did write to the National Geographic back in early December when I sent a cheque and asked that you be sent a birthday card on 19 January to tell you of the renewal of The World. Was this done? And on time?

Well, dear, a belated but loving wish for a wonderful 1984 for you - filled with adventures, and exciting things in school, and of course, continued good marks in all those subjects.

You have been a joy in my life.

Love, E.R.G.

P.S.
Just think. When you visit Hawaii some day, you will probably be the best prepared in your knowledge of all the Islands than any other tourist who ever came.