I first became fond of hand-written letters during my freshman year at Ball State. Mom would write me often and it was always a joy to have a letter from her waiting in my box behind the desk on the fourth floor of Studebaker complex. Mom was an English teacher with a flair for writing letters. Her enthusiasm would jump off the page and her stories were hilarious. Even bad news was a lot more tolerable through the auspices of the US Mail.

My Uncle Floyd is a great letter writer. I believe that he began cultivating his story telling abilities in the Navy during WWII. I have received a couple of letters from him in the last 10 years and they were treasures. They had me laughing and crying in quick succession, much like Maya Angelou did to me in I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings.

These days I get a lot of mail from former Broad Ripple residents who have moved West. John Stulgate has sent me a lot of letters (and a lot of Wesley Willis stickers) from Tucson, Arizona. Bill Emmert writes often from Girdwood, Alaska. His letters often come with photographs and newspaper clippings.

Shelly Riemer (formerly Shelly Cheeseman) writes occasionally from Fort Collins, Colorado. She uses various types of paper and a rainbow assortment of inks. She has real cool handwriting and draws flowers and radiant images. A letter from Shelly can turn a dark day bright.

So, I like getting letters. If you would like to write me, here is my address:

C. W. Pruitt II

2530 Tacoma Circle apt# 306

Indianapolis, IN 46220