Penpals

Dear Nancy,

I was pleased to receive your letter, and happy to hear that one of your favorite animals is the dolphin. I did not know that there are forty-nine species of dolphin– like you, I was born inland, and I have also only seen bottlenose dolphins thus far. I do not know how many species of ape there are for comparison. So far, I have seen humans, and once a lemur.

To answer your first question, my favorite food is shrimp. I have never tried a cheese curd before, but based on the way you describe it, I do not think that I would like it very much. I do agree with you in that food that you can easily pop whole into your mouth is ideal. My mother used to warn me not to eat too large of food parcels at once– perhaps you can relate to this, despite the fact that it is much harder for me to choke than you.

You mentioned in your letter that you lived with your mother, father, and younger brother, and that your mother is particularly bossy. My mother is also bossy to me, as if she thinks she is a grand matriarch. Our family is not as big as yours, however. I have never met my grandmother or aunts, although I hope to someday. Mother tells me that she is not nearly as bossy to me as Grandmother was to her, but whether or not this is true, I am not sure. While your mother is a lawyer, my mother does not leave our home except when she visits the doctor, so I can only imagine that it is frustrating to have your mother gone often. A year ago, however, my mother and I were separated for a time, as she was asked to look after and care for a young baby for a short while before a more suitable parent for him could be found. That is the closest I have had to having a little brother like yours, despite the fact that he and I never met.

I do not understand your question about my favorite color. From what I can understand, you mean that there are certain things you like looking at more than other things based on the way that the light hits them. If this is the case, I would have to say that my favorite color is the way the light dapples on the windows during the dawn hours. It is very pretty. I hope, however, to see and understand your ‘neon pink’ someday. Maybe you could describe some objects that are neon pink in your next letter.

Skylar and Whitney seem like very nice friends to have, and the birthday party at the bowling alley sounds very fun. I am glad that you thanked Skylar for the doll she gave you, even if you already had it. That shows that you are a good friend as well. My best friend is Jillian. I have known her since I was born, and we used to see each other every day to play and have snacks together. However, a few months ago, Jillian and I had a very large, special snack with all of my favorite foods, and then she left and I have not seen her again. Now I see Travis a lot. At first, I avoided Travis because he was not Jillian, but now I think that Travis is okay. He and I are not as close, but he is nice and can play for a longer time than Jillian. Additionally, it is only through his help that I am able to contact you in this way, so I am begrudgingly grateful that he has come. Perhaps if you play with her, your ‘mean girl’ Shauna will also become a friend. If not, I suggest you rake your teeth down her skin to show her that you cannot be bullied into submission.

I am glad that you like swimming. We have that in common. If it counts, swimming is my favorite activity. I have never played softball on a team like you and Whitney, but I do enjoy playing other games with balls. Right now, I have a cannon that shoots a ball into the air for me to retrieve, which I like quite a lot. To answer your question about my favorite toy, however, it would have to be a bubbler that I received a few months ago. When I turn a paddle, it shoots a stream of bubbles at me. I also have a sandbox, which you mentioned your brother Kenneth enjoys. Although I know you say you are too old, I would encourage you to give it another try. Even my mother has grown to enjoy digging for treats in our sandbox, and she is an adult!

I think it is cool that you want to study the ocean when you grow up, and I agree that it is very exciting that you will go to see the ocean next month on your vacation. You will have to tell me what the ocean is like from a human perspective. I do not know if they have orcas in Sarasota, but you should be careful nonetheless– an orca almost killed my mother back before she came here. Make sure you stay close to your family so they can protect you. Another piece of advice I have for you from my mother is to make sure that you slap your octopus on the surface of the water before eating it. I have not yet seen the ocean, although I hope to go there someday, when I am no longer a juvenile. While my mother cannot go back, Travis has started leading me through more foraging techniques, which I feel may be promising.

I hope that I have answered your questions satisfactorily. I have some questions for you as well:

What is your favorite type of fish?

Do you like music?

How do you stay breathing while you sleep?

Where is your grandmother and why did you break from her pod?

Is “fifth grade” a social status or a physical location?

Do you prefer to play chase or catch?

What is your favorite texture to echolocate?

I look forward to hearing more about your life and your family. Your culture is very strange to me, but I will try to open up to what I do not know. I look forward to making you a true, lifelong friend, Nancy.

Sincerely,

D-2023-02F “Echo”