pen pal

Way before the electronic mail and cellphone era, we wrote letters. I remember one of our high school freshman English projects was to write to someone abroad, and to maintain a friendship with that pen pal. I failed because the guy I wrote to in County Mayo, Ireland (I loved all things Ireland then because of Boyzone) didn't respond. I got his address from a local songhits magazine (I had lots of those, erm it was a phase!). Anyway, there went my Irish pen pal.

Fast forward to today, one of our colleagues dropped by the office to inquire about one of our programs, and he had in hand a photocopied letter--he's forgotten how he got it during his intern years, and he says it's been re-photocopied so many times. I asked to take a look at it and was immediately nostalgic for the good ol' days of manual letter-writing (sans spelling- and grammar-check!).

I'm painstakingly, carefully transcribing the letter here word for word--the letter was written in all caps, and I'll be writing it in that way too. I'm also attaching a photo of the photocopied letter, for all those interested to have a look. :)

So, here goes. It's kinda long though. Hahaha.

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I JUST RECIEVED YOUR KIND LETTER. ALTHOUGH IT USED TO BE WE RECIEVED ALL MAILS LATELY FOR OUR OFFICE SOMETIMES TOO BUSY, NOT TO FORWARD HERE ONBOARD. BUT ANYWAY WE CAN RECIEVED IT JUST A MATTER OF TIME. BEFORE I MAY GO LITTLE FURTHER KEPT MY WARM REGARDS YOU THERE AND BEFORE I FORGET TO SAY WISHING YOU ALL THE BEST. WELL ABOUT US HERE WE ARE FINE TOO, THOUGH IT CANNOT AVOIDED WE ALWAYS OCCUPIED THE BURDEN OF WORK MUCH MORE ON ME WHICH IT LOOKS IT THE NATURE TWIN TO ME OF IT.

ANYWAY IT DOES NOT MATTER ANYHOW FOR OUR INTENTION OF OUR LETTER IS FRIENDSHIP, NOT THE BITTER THINGS RIGHT?

AS IF YOU ASK ME REALLY OR SHALL WE SAY MY FIRST LETTER IS LUCKING SOMETHING ABOUT MYSELF. WELL I CANNOT EMPHASIZE REALLY BUT ONLY IN GENERALLY. STAND 5'7" - FAIR COMPLEXION. BLACK WAVY HAIR - REGULAR BUILT - AGE - MIDS OF 30'S OR LITTLE BIT MORE - CEBUANO LANGUAGE - SINGLE, ALSO GRADUATE IN SMALL COURSE: ABOVE ALL PRESENTABLE OR SHALL WE SAY IT CAN BE MIXED TO ANYWHERE, ANYWAY IF TIME PERMITS WE CAN BE MEET SOMEDAY - IN EYE TO EYE.

ITS TRUE IM LOOKING FOR A REAL GOOD FRIEND, OF COURSE IN THIS GAME WE CAN MEET DIFFERENT COLORS. SOMETIMES NOT GOOD COLOR FOR YOU GOOD COLOR FOR OTHERS OR VISE VERSA DI BA. BY UNFORTUNATELY I WROTE 2 LETTER FOR IT AND I RECIEVED ONLY ONE JUST A POOR BOY (JOKE) ITS TRUE I CANNOT WRITE LETTER MORE THAN ONE FOR I ALWAY OCCUPIED MY TIME AT MY TASK. NOT LIKE YOURS YOU SAID YOU RECIEVED 30 LETTERS - WELL NOT BAD. ONLY DISADVANTAGE AS YOU SAID THE STAMPS - MAY YOU DESERVED IT (JOKE). BUT YOU CAN HAVE A FRIENDS.

YOU KNOW LIZA, I'M A SILENT PERSON AND I USED TO TALK THE REAL HAPPENINGS THATS WHY I HAVE FRIEND IT CAN BE COUNTED ONLY. ALTHOUGH I AM NOT SELECTIVE KIND OF PERSON, AS MY OUTLOOKING ARE WE ARE CREATED EQUAL.

AS YOU EMPHASIZE YOURSELF, NEVER MIND FOR ME BUT USUALLY AS CHINESE SAYING SOME PEOPLE SAYS IN OTHERSIDE OF TRUTH. BUT ITS MORE INTERESTING TO LOOK AT IT - HOW IT LOOKS WHEN YOU SEND YOUR PICTURE HERE. IM NOT REQUESTING BUT ANY OF EXTRA ONLY.

WELL, LIZA, THAT IS IT. WE ARE NOW LEAVING HERE IN VANCOUVER FOR MEXICO - THEN GOES TO ITALY. YOU KNOW WHAT I BORED ALREADY MY WORKS. I WISH TO HAVE ANOTHER KIND ONEDAY.

BEFORE I SIGN OFF WISHING YOU ALL THE BEST.

YOUR FRIEND,

V.

"MY MOTTO"

THE BATTLE OF LIFE NOT MEAN HE (SHE) WHO IS FASTER, RICHER OR BRIGHTER WILL WIN. BUT HE WHO RESIST THE DAILY BURDEN OF LIFE WILL OWN THE GLORY.

(BOUNCH BACK)

M/V NICOLE

TRANSMED SHIPPING CO. LTD.

152 EL VALENZUELA AVE.

146-71 KASTRI, ATTIKI

GREECE

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Hmm, I wonder how that relationship went.