Happy September. I’ve already seeing children going to and from the middle school here — I can’t believe they’ve started school up already, right at the end of August. Have you gone back yet? I hope not, you should have another week or two. The school year is something to settle into, not rush.
I did not do too much this week. I went into Seattle to get a new passport, and it looks worse than ever there. Mom says this is because all of the places went out of business because of the plague. I wouldn’t be surprised. I hope you never have to live in a city in the US. That being said, we got Starbucks, a very welcome benefit. Have you been to Portland recently? I hear something similar’s happened there.
We’ve been watching The Sandman recently, and one episode reminded me of you: a young boy’s father forces him to live with him while his mother and sister move away. Years later, the father has died, the son has been put in foster care, and the foster agency refuses to tell the sister where he is, insisting that he is fine while living in an abusive home. It’s the closest I’ve ever seen to something like what happened to us. The sister’s search for her brother was brilliantly portrayed. I would recommend that episode alone heedless of the rest of the show. I don’t know how and in what way you might relate to the brother, but I hope to know someday. Watching him felt almost like seeing you.
It’s been so long since I’ve been back home. I think longer than I’ve ever been gone. If I had a driver’s license and a car of my own, I’d drive there this minute, regardless of circumstance. I hope won’t be afraid of me someday. I hope we can talk over lunch.
With love,
Alice