A long-ago note.

My friend Noah, apparently going through old letters, found one I wrote him from a long, long time ago -- when I'd only known my penpal for a year.

Since a card from him written about that time ages ago is still kept around to glance at every time I move, I thought I would post his e-mail, quoting me, here.

"I don't know if you know what it feels like to live in constant fear
that others don't understand where you've coming from. I feel that way
with most everyone, starting most of my new acquaintance
relationships with a sincere apology and then hoping for the best after
that."

This, dated 9 Sept 1996 -- nearly seven years ago -- along with a
picture ("[A] relatively recent photo to prove I'm harmless and perhaps
moderately attractive to someone somewhere other than my mother.").
There was a newspaper clipping from a newspaper; you're beaming in the
little picture they included.

I've been rummaging through my old files and documents and this was all
stuffed in the folders.

It made me smile.


Noah

Now I'm old enough to know that people other than my mother do find me attractive. I know that a lot of people think the way that I do when meeting people and starting new relationships. I also realize that I am a completely transparent flirt. (That was when I practically fell all over myself in love with any random gay stranger I met, which I so don't do anymore. OK, I do.)

I'm glad I'm Noah's friend after all this time. It's nice to have someone who reflects back on the past with you.