Looking Rather Pitiful

Dear Mom,

Suzanne also had a picture of Ruthie and me in our bi-centennial outfits that you made for the school picnic—the one I talked about in the letter School Picnic when I had the mumps. This was either taken before the picnic after you finished the dresses or after the picnic because I was so disappointed that I didn’t get to wear it the day of the parade. Either way, I think we are looking rather pitiful—like some kind of orphan children. It has nothing do to with your sewing abilities.

I was able to enlarge the photo in the word document that Suzanne sent to me, but I'm not able to enlarge it any other way. For the record, Ruthie is smiling and I'm looking pitiful. Maybe I was sick or getting sick.

Thanks for making the dresses. Sorry I don't seem too excited.

School Picnic

Dear Mom,

I remember one year when we had a school picnic it was some sort of bi-centennial theme. We had to dress up like the olden days of that era. I don’t remember what it was to represent, but I remember the outfit that you made Ruthie and I. I couldn’t participate in the parade or the picnic that year because I had the mumps. I was so disappointed. We lived just a house away from the schoolyard and I could hear all the screaming and hollering from the kids on the rides.

Today I was to meet some friends at the school picnic, but just like the bi-centennial year I will be missing it. Not because of mumps—another kind of illness. And I will envision the same things I did back then—the cotton candy, the smell of the hot air coming off the motors of the scrambler or tilt-a-whirl, sticky kids running around begging their parents for another dollar, crying babies not wanting to be on the merry-go-round, boys and girls deciding if they’ll ride the ferris wheel together, picking up a lost ticket and getting a free ride. I hope my friends eat something good in my honor although they probably won’t even know I’m missing just as sure as I am now that no one knew I was missing on that bi-centennial year.

Mom, thanks for taking care of me. Wish you were here now.