Today is National Pen Pal Day

Today is National Pen Pal Day. I think with email there are probably more Pen Pals than ever, even if they don’t know they are pen pals. And you don’t have to trouble yourself with postage and so on. Back in my formative years I felt it was my responsibility when a friend moved out of town with his parents or go into the Armed Service to keep that person updated with the latest news from his old stomping grounds and keep him/her entertained with my warped humor. From about the 4th grade on I was always juggling pen pals. Then after I left the Navy I had a few Navy Pen Pals. Then, with my on-line pursuit of MAD Comicbook fans here come more pen pals. And the same with my genealogy pursuit. Then last but not least, when our son was dating his future wife Sabrina somehow I don’t remember, but Sabrina’s aunt Thelma in Texas sent us an email or we sent her an email, either way, it was an email of something factual, then it was followed by a response which ended up in several responses, and one day I did not response and she emailed a day later wanting to know if all was OK. Our chain of email pen paling had begun. About 15 or so years later one day Thelma did not reply to my daily email. We called Sabrina and told her. She tried calling Thelma and no response. She called the local police and they went to check on her and found her in a coma. Sabrina and other kin went to Texas. Thelma died. I miss her and her daily facts and opinion. I had to readjust the empty gap in my routine. Also It is National Oscar the Grouch Day.