Belfort

Dear Matthew,

I just put my computer on the kitchen table, got the container of strawberries out of the fridge, and sat down to write you this email. Radiohead playing on random, but the right song came up anyway. The one with the simple, perfect lyrics that always make me think of your words and your timing. The strawberries are drowning in their juices; today may be the day they lose the battle. It smells that way. I've been trying to write at least one solid, meaningful email every day for the past week. It lifts my spirits to attempt contact with sympathetic old friend-souls and try to reestablish communication.

Last night I went to a dinner, a party, and I only knew three out of the eleven people there. Yes, I counted. It seemed important. But scary stuff! I loosened my (social inhibitions/conversation noose) ahead of time by imbibing a little caffeine, truth be told. When I got there, I dove right in, and I think that I did okay! You'd have been proud. It ended up being a really fun night, actually. But I'm hoping that I don't ever see any of the people that I met there again, because I don't really remember anyone's name. Oops.

Yeah, I'm still looking for that ever-elusive job. I actually had an offer from the first bank that I applied and interviewed with. I need to let them know by tomorrow if I want to assume the position. It would be a compromise to take it: lower wages, inconvenient location, not ideal in several ways. But then there's that whole bird-in-the-hand thing, and it would be great to have some income sooner rather than later. I could tell them that I want to start work in a couple of weeks, and then if something better comes along in that time, bolt. That sounds skeezy, and I know that you always encouraged me to be patient and hold out for the right set of circumstances. But, honestly, at some point, one gets a little panicky. Anyway, if I had always followed your advice I would probably still be an undergrad, in my fourth or fifth major by now. :)

How's everything with you? It sounds nice and warm there, at least compared to here. How is everything with Melanie now? I can't really imagine how awful and difficult that whole situation must have been for y'all. Last time I heard from you, they had just caught the guy and locked him up. Have they started to prosecute him yet, the cogs of justice turning and all that? He must be some kind of sicko; just the idea of stalking such a young girl is so completely unimaginable and twisted. It baffles the mind. Anway, more happily, I enjoyed the picture that you sent of the two of you at her homecoming dance. It is really fantastic (surprising?) that she was cool with her dad being a chaperone, don't you think? Well, I thought it was cool anyway.

So send me an update on all things Counselor Davis whenever you can. I miss talking with you, your sage, calm, and reasonable advice, and the really awful coffee from your office that always made me nauseous. Don't tell Doreen that I said that, please. Take care; talk to you again soon.

Your favorite advisee,

David...


Currently Listening:
"Kid A" by Radiohead