My Neighbor I Know So Well (AmeCan)

I'm On My Own (Canada)

1 July, 1867

Dear Diary, I've calmed my anger towards Alfred these past years. I don't have any negative feelings for him anymore. Instead, I'm worried sick about him. Six meetings prior to the one today, he didn't show up. It was my first meeting back and I had an apology letter sent from Caretaker and my minister. Usually he'd be there reading a book or staring out the window waiting for me, he wasn't anywhere to be found. I pulled aside one of his representatives, the same man I saw with him before whom blew his head off. He told me that Alfred was busy with "things" and that he should return by next month. A month passed and he still wasn't there. I began to grow hollow at the possibilities for his sudden absence. What if he wasn't in the country? What if he was really missing? I started to get dizzy and needed to sit down. Four months passed and I was sitting in the same room, the last strands of hope slowly deteriorating. Alas, the door opened followed by the sound of wheels screeching on wood flooring. It was Alfred in a wheelchair, looking mortified. Dropping the book I was reading, I rushed to his side and hugged him. You could say it was my dying anxiety that drove me to show this surprising affection. He asked me why I was hugging him; all the times I was absent he thought I broke ties. I told him I was just overwhelmed with anger and needed time to recollect my thoughts. Alfred was crying on my shoulder, "This war, my whole body shrivels in pain, my president and representative were assassinated without me knowing. How could the stability of my country vanish so rapidly?" Shaking my head in pity, I asked him if he could explain to me what happened these pasts six months. "War, Matthew. I woke up to the stench of lead and fresh blood. Hiding in my wardrobe didn't last me long, as I was exploited the same day bodies fell in my yard. They kidnapped my representative and slit his throat right in front of me. If I didn't fight for the Confederates they would've killed me too. I was forced into the front lines. The Union saw me, they didn't see the hesitation in my eyes as I held my gun, therefore they filled my legs with lead along with my abdomen. No one came to my aide; I laid there pretending to be dead until piles upon piles of corpses surrounded me on the ground." A truly dreadful story. I gave Alfred my sincerest condolences to which he accepted with appreciation. I can't believe someone could have the guts to murder a man of highest authority such as the President of the United States. I can't even think of a man here that would murder my Prime Minister. Speaking of Prime Minister, something else happened today that really called for a mass celebration: I'm officially on my own now! I'm no longer known as British North America, now I'm known as Canada! The whole world will recognize me as a nation, Alfred will recognize me Independent from Britain! I didn't need a revolution of my own in order to gain my independence, passiveness towards him was enough. Britain docked in one of my ports and requested to be sent directly to me. Upon his arrival, he gave me a document and told me to read its contents out loud. "This act would establish the former 'British North America' into the Dominion of Canada". As expected from a miracle like this, I gave him many thanks and exclaimed how I wouldn't let him down, that he won't regret this decision. Today marks the first day of being an official country, and oh does it feel fantastic!

Your friend, Matthew