Reading the Sunday paper
A beautiful Sunday was made brighter still yesterday when my wife spotted a piece of mine in The Charlotte Observer. She had been the one who suggested I submit it. The comments I’ve received from both friends and strangers have been gratifying, but nothing has touched me as much as the response from the subject of my essay.
Here are the emails we exchanged this morning:
“Alice,”
You probably know as little about me as I do about you. I’m a retired businessman who has been writing—novels—for the past few years. I also write short articles that I post on my website, dmyarborough.com.
I wrote a piece about you last fall that my wife suggested recently that send to the Observer. To my utter surprise they printed it in yesterday’s paper!I hope you like it. I truly hope this doesn’t embarrass you in any way. If it does, I apologize. By the way, I mean what I wrote.
Thanks!
David
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Her response:
Mr. Yarborough,
I knew it was you. I cried as I was reading the article this morning, and my heart is so full. This is what makes me get up so early day after day to deliver the paper to the most wonderful customers on this earth, I’m so blessed. I’ve been slowly losing many of my longtime customers due to downsizing and other life changing situations, and it makes me so sad. Life is always changing, and nothing stays the same but when I see that for sale sign in the yard it just puts a strike across my heart.
Two other customers on your street will be leaving me sometime in mid-May and it’s been all I can do not to cry when I toss their paper. I’m also having a hard time knowing that you and your wife will leave me. I just try to put it out of my mind and pray that I’m able to deliver your paper for as long as I can.
Again, thanks so much for thinking of me and you’ve made my day, my week and my year.
Have a blessed day ☺
PS…I’m still choking back tears….
