More memories...

In the same folder as the letter to my mother of June 28, 1964 was a second letter to my mother (who, if memory serves, was enrolled in a summer continuing education program at the University of West Virginia). The letter was dated almost exactly a month later, July 29. 1964.

The letter documents my grandmother's and my second trip to the World's Fair, and describes all the places we visited (7 pavillions and the guided tour) and the fact that stayed late enough to watch a fireworks display. (I vaguely remember the former; I do not recall the fireworks).

I also mention having sent a letter to a "pen pal" (a concept from before the era of global connectivity, in which kids from different coutries corresponded by postal mail). Reading the letter brought back the memory of having "acquired" a pen pal, as I notified my mother that I had sent a letter to him.

My recollection of my pen pal is very vague. I know I got the name and address of my pen pal at the Fair, the common interest I had put down on the form was "stamp collecting," and I have the vague recollection my pen pal lived in the Netherlands. We exchanged something on the order of a half dozen letters, but I suspect neither of us was very serious about staying in touch with the other, and so no lasting friendship ensued. I can recall the names of some of the people with whom I played chess by mail two and three decades ago; I cannot recall the name of my pen pal.

Cheers...