Creative Writing

When I was little, I had a pen pal. I loved writing to a stranger about my day, and was amazed that receiving a letter from someone I had never met could always make me grin like a Cheshire cat. I like a nice letter. This afternoon I wrote a letter and sealed it in a brown envelope with the words 'For You' on the front. It could have been partly inspired by my childhood pen pal, or perhaps my friend Damon’s ‘hugs on Fridays’ policy but not having the guts to wrap my arms around a stranger I’m yet to try that new craze; also it’s Monday so that would not have been appropriate today.

This was the wording of the letter, written in my own hand:

‘’I decided to watch people today and of all the people I watched, you were my favourite.
I promised myself that I would only give this letter to someone who looked like a good person and who made me smile, you have done that so thank you.
I hope receiving this little letter brings you a smile.’’

I caught the bus into Bristol with the letter in my bag, I started to panic that the letter might not be appreciated the way I wanted it to be. What if the person I give it to just thinks me odd and doesn’t enter into the spirit of my afternoon adventure. It was going to be tricky to find the worthy recipient for this treasure.

As I stepped off of the bus, grinning, joyous in the knowledge that I had nothing more important to do than go into town with the sole purpose of confusing a stranger. I spotted the first candidate for the letter. A happy looking man was laughing with his daughter and looked like a bloody good Dad, he had a big, booming, thunderous laugh, the kind you hear and it instantly makes you smile. I thought he was probably the sort who would like my letter but giving it to the first person I met would have spoiled my fun so I let him go, he seemed happy enough without my help anyway.

Having seen the good Dad as soon as I’d got to Bristol I thought my task would be pretty simple and someone would stand... [continues]

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