07

[i_bullieve_i_can_fly]

eVERYONE, uH, nEEDS TO STOP FIGHTING,
iT IS MAYBE, kIND OF RIDICULOUS, iF YOU DON'T MIND ME SAYING,
aND UNTIL YOU ALL DO, i AM JUST GOING TO, uH, sTAY OUT OF IT,
fAR, fAR AWAY AND OUT OF IT,
tHAT IS, uH, aLL i HAVE TO SAY, oN THAT PARTICULAR MATTER,

iN OTHER NEWS, aND A LOT MORE CHEERFUL,
i AM REALLY EXCITED FOR SUMMER,
i THINK THAT, iT'S GOING TO BE AWESOME!

i ALSO GOT A NEW, cARD GAME FOR MY BIRTHDAY,
dOES ANYONE, uH, mAYBE WANT TO PLAY WITH ME, bEFORE WE ALL LEAVE FOR THE SUMMER?
i DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW TO PLAY IT, bUT, i HAVE THE RULE BOOK,
aND PLENTY OF, uH, cARDS TO GO AROUND,
i THINK WE COULD, fIGURE IT OUT, }:)
iT WOULD BE FUN, i THINK,

Comments

[dou8letrou8le]

You have experience with this I see.
8ut we are different.
I'm not hurt 8y words.
That entire situ8tion was 8lown out of control.

[She considers those ink drops briefly.]

If I feel up to it I might come 8y.

Private

[i_bullieve_i_can_fly]

[Again, there are even more inkblots as he considers whether or not what he's going to say is something he really does want to talk about. Finally, he goes for it.]

mORE THAN YOU PROBABLY THINK i DO,
i,
uH,
mY DAD DIED, wHEN i WAS YOUNGER,
sO LOSING A PARENT IS SOMETHING i KNOW THE FEELING OF,
aND HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH,
i KNOW, hOW HARD IT CAN BE,

Private

[dou8letrou8le]

[The longest pause, broken only by a drop of blue ink.]

I never knew my father.
How old were you?

Private

[i_bullieve_i_can_fly]

i CAN'T REMEMBER HOW OLD i WAS EXACTLY,
bUT, uH,
i THINK i WAS PRETTY YOUNG,
mAYBE i WAS SIX, oR A LITTLE OLDER,

iT WAS A LONG TIME AGO, bUT,
iT STILL HURTS A LOT,

eSPECIALLY BECAUSE HE, sHOWED UP,

oN PARENTS DAY AND i AVOIDED HIM,

Private

[dou8letrou8le]

I did not see my mother on Parents D8y.
You still h8ve yours, correct?

Private

[i_bullieve_i_can_fly]

dID SHE NOT SHOW UP, oR DID YOU AVOID HER TOO?

aND YES i DO,

Private

[dou8letrou8le]

She did not show up.

Good for you.
Is she nice?