This is the chapter I love the most; this is all a letter Magnet writes about his past to Kay. I love this part so much that I have written a story about it, but I want to finish one of my others before and new on comes up. Oh, I don't own John Denver's song "I'm sorry", Wal-Mart, Target or the A.K.C. I DO own this story of Magnet's past, copy me and I will be seen around your place with my twelve gage...

The Letter

Magnet sat in his room; a tall stack of paper lay before him, along with a gross of well-sharpened pencils. José leaned back in his chair, thumbing a writing utensil on his left hand. Slowly he picked up a piece of paper and began to write.

Dear Kay, I really miss you…Angrily he ripped it up and flung it into his wastebasket that was already loaded down with such papers.

A verse of a filmier song drifted into mind. "I'm sorry for all the lies I told you, I'm sorry for all the things I didn't say… More than anything else I'm sorry for myself…."

Sighing Magnet tried again. Kay, he wrote, I know you most likely won't read this because I made you mad, but just in case you do, I'm writing to explain some things.

Almost two years ago, I ruined my life. I fell in with the wrong crowd. At the time, I guess I needed guidance. My father was always on the road pedaling his insurance policies. That's when I met Lobo. He was the leader of a Mexican gang. Not a real gang tough, we we're all way too under age for that. We shoplifted. I'm ashamed to admit that I found pride in stealing. Every time Wal-Mart or Target upgraded their security, it was like a new challenge.

In the gang we made up challenges for each other, steal a six pack of beer, lift a comforter and pillow. They where always stupid, useless, petti thefts. I mastered each challenge with ease. In no time, I had made it to second in command. Only Lobo mastered over me. But he felt I would soon over come him as well.

We made a new challenge. It had all been Lobo's idea. Whoever completed this one successfully would be the next leader. All we had to do was steal a dog, but not just any dog. Show room puppies, A.K.C championship poodle puppies. Lobo went first, the gang waited outside. He returned with a small white dog, and I went in.

I knew as soon as I saw the dogs that Lobo had cheated, all these poodle puppies where solid black. I could have busted him open right then, but I didn't. I wanted to be leader. So I took a puppy and was almost out free, when it parked from my pocket. Soon I was surrounded by cops and rushed down town.

My mother came to see if she could bail me out. She cried when she saw me behind bars. "Why José?" She asked, "Why did you steal?" Then she broke down into uncontrollable wails. I was stupid back then. My heart softened, but I was determined not to show it. I did fine until my trial. Lobo was there, he testified against me, told of my being at the show rink and stealing the dog. Somehow, I think he sat up the whole thing. Just to get me thrown in jail so he could be leader.

Anyway, out at Camp Green Lake I had to relearn what my heart had always known. There was something better in life than crime, something more worthwhile than shoplifting. When I finally got out of camp, I was ashamed. I wanted nothing to do with my past. I wanted to start all over, but the past fallowed me.

I'm sorry I lied to you and didn't tell you everything in the first place. I see now I should have gone about things differently.

Yours truly,

José