August Green

Jason

Dear Jason,

Thanks for not thinking I'm wacko. But you'll probably think I am wacko the more you get to know me, hahaha. So what made you interested in being pen pals with someone? For me, it's always been one of those old fashioned things that I love. I like old things, like record players, film cameras, parasols, lace, old leather journals, and of course, letters. I could go on but that would take days. That kind of stuff reminds me of old times that seem simpler, like in my Grandma's day. I was really close to her when I was young, before she passed away. So I understand about your grandpa. My grandma's nickname for me was "Happy", because my parents told me I never stopped smiling all the time.

That's sad that you don't have a best friend. I don't know what I would do without my best friend, Emma. She's always been there for me, like a sister. Are your friends like that for you? Also, if you move around a lot, will it be hard for me to write to you often?

That's cool that you skateboard. I've always wanted to try it, but my mom forbids it. She says it's too dangerous, that I might fall and break my head open. But Emma's brothers do it all the time. Emma tried once but couldn't keep her balance so she gave up. One of these days though, I'm gonna try it (just don't tell my mom). Maybe one day you could take me to try that steep hill you rode down? Hahaha.

What else do you like to do besides skateboard? Do you have any hobbies? I have one. I like to do sketches of things I see and observe: people, scenery, nature, places I've seen or places I wanna go. Enclosed is two of my sketches. The one titled "Secret Spot" is my favorite place in the whole wide world. Emma and I discovered it when we were 10. It's a tiny cave near the creek behind Emma's house. It's covered by bushes and we're pretty sure no one else knows it exists because when we discovered it, there was an empty canteen and a frying pan in there that were covered in layers of dust. Now you're the 3rd person that knows it exists. The second sketch titled "Dream Destination" is a copy of a picture I saw in a magazine. It's a scenic picture of Ireland. I've always wanted to go there and see the old castles and the rolling hills covered in "August green". I want to travel the rest of the world too, but especially Ireland.

What about you? Do you have any cool places you want to visit? Looking forward to your next letter.

~ Your pen pal,
    August Greene

P.S. You forgot to sign your last name on your letter. Hahaha.

   Jason threw the letter and the sketches in the air and let them land wherever. So what if he didn't sign his last name? He layed down on his bed and closed his eyes. His uncle had made him help mow the entire front yard, and tomorrow he had to do the back yard. He didn't feel like writing any letter to a weird girl across the country. He just wanted some rest before dinner.

   But as exhausted as he felt, Jason couldn't keep his eyes closed. The sketches August drew appeared in his mind. The only "secret spot" he had ever known was an abandoned building in a sketchy neighborhood that he had hung out in when he was 12. It wasn't a really a secret, all the kids that were up to no good knew the place. Only the parents were the ones that didn't know. And as far as a having a "dream destination", he'd never had one. He had always imagined taking the Mustang on a long drive across country, no rules, no place to go, just going wherever he felt like and doing whatever he pleased. Freedom. That's all he wanted. But that wasn't going to happen if he didn't have the Mustang. And the Mustang wasn't going to happen if he didn't have his dad's money to help fix it up. And he wasn't going to get his dad's money if he didn't get good grades. Jason groaned out loud and punched his pillow. He grudgingly got up, walked over to his desk. He only had to answer her questions, he told himself as he started to write on notebook paper: