When I was 5 years old in 1988, I began a pen-pal correspondence with 7'7" NBA center, Manute Bol. For the next 10 years, we stayed in touch. Phenomenal touch. I'll never know why it stopped, but it did, and I have moved on. I hadn't seen a single one of those letters until last weekend. I was in a car crash and they flew out all over the place. They were in my car's transmission.
Should I throw these intimate letters away? Nay, many of them will be posted now on this website. My first letter to him was just a blank piece of paper with the question, "Why?" written on it. Here is his first letter to me. His response.
Hello, Scott!
Why? Why not?! That is what I say. Everything can be solved with a simple, "Why not?". Hehe! How are you, little one? I am doing very well. I very much enjoy playing basketball for the Washington Bullets. Do you like that? The Washington Bullets? I don't very much. I want to play somewhere else a lot. Do you ever feel like that? Even though they say you are 5, do you wish you were somewhere different? Like away from Washington DC? Oh there I go again. I'm not even sure if you live in Washington DC. You might even live within the moon for as much as I know! Hehe. Nevermind about that. But really. Do you not like where you live? There is a lot of stress living in places. First you have to find a nice place to live, then you have to buy the grocery, then you have to get one dog or a cat! RRR! Its enough to pack my suitcase for me! And on a basketball note, I'm having a worse year than prior years. Fewer blocks, fewer points, and my goodness the rebounds I'm not getting! There will be a better day though, soon if everything changes. I am a young gentleman, so that could take place right now or a time later! Oh there I go. For the sake of ending on a happy note, I hope you go to school and make good friends! I hope to keep up now!
Friendships,
Mr. Bol
P.s. - Today is Wednesday in Washington! That means I treat myself to a meal at a restaurant! Gracious!!
This is so funny!
ReplyDeleteHaha. OMG i used to love Manute Bol ...
ReplyDeleteI wish I would have written letters to him instead of wasting my time on Jonthan Taylor Thomas.
JTT is anything but a waste of time.
ReplyDeleteHow did this go on for 10 years and I never heard about it? I'd like to see the next letter you wrote to him.
ReplyDelete