November 2007 – Page 3

Fan Mail

I received a precious e-mail today. The e-mail is from one “Poet Sam” – clearly an address specifically registered for the sake of cowardly bile-dumping. Gory details below.

There was once an old woman whose only joy in the world was her grandson. The old woman’s sons and daughters had all gone their own way, and only the boy stayed behind. He grew up handsome and good-natured. The old woman worked hard to keep him well-fed and well-clothed, and the two were happy.Continue reading “The Grandmother”

The Inheritance

There lived once, on the outskirts of a kingdom that no longer exists, a girl who lost her parents. Her mother died while giving birth to her, and as for her father, he was taken by cholera when the girl was twelve. The girl’s mother had been a gifted seamstress. She left for her childContinue reading “The Inheritance”

Christopher Pike

I started learning English in earnest with the books of R. L. Stine. I started learning about myself when I, at thirteen years old, picked up Christopher Pike. The first book I read by him was Road to Nowhere. It had a garish cover – my mother was aghast. She had raised me reading PushkinContinue reading “Christopher Pike”