Hey, wait a minute, Mr. Postman ....

There was a time when my day started with the mail delivery. With over 50 penpals, receiving letters was the highlight of the day: I got to read news from a friend, and then tell them all about what was going on with me.

Well, those days are long gone, and the number of people with whom I correspond regularly has dwindled down to a handful or so. My ears still perk up at the sound of the mailslot, but my expectations have been reset. I often think about the others, and how to get back in touch with them.

And then the other day I received a letter. The first thing I noticed was the handwriting, which immediately told me: Europe. The stamp: Spain. I hadn't heard from any of my Spanish friends in over 5 years. It was from a friend I'd met in '93, and then stayed with in '94 during my second trip to Spain. She wasn't a particularly diligent penpal, and we lost touch a few years later. She works now, lives with her boyfriend; they bought a house in a town of 10,000. She's no longer the same brat I knew back then.

I can't wait to write back. :)