Dear Mark
It was a really nice change to find a letter from you. All I ever get is bills nowadays. I never knew it was so expensive running a restaurant. But I love it anyway.
To tell you the truth I was scared of opening the letter. Even though it didn't say who it was from, I'd recognize your messy handwriting anywhere. And my first reaction was that you wrote to tell me that something had happened. To Roger, or Mimi, or whoever. That's not very healthy, is it? I mean, if your first thought when you get a letter from a friend is "Oh my God, somebody died!" I think I just sat there, staring at the letter for about twenty minutes, before I finally opened it.
Yeah, you're right. I did suspect that you had feelings for Roger. I didn't think they were quite that strong, though. You're in love with him. Wow. I'm sorry, but I did get a silly grin on my face when I read that. Angel knew, of course. Nothing went past her.
I don't remember exactly when I noticed how you felt, but I think it was when Roger met April. Do you remember that night when he came home and declared that he'd met the girl of his dreams? He looked so happy and so in love, and I turned to you to say something, don't remember what. You were looking at him, and you had this expression of loss in your eyes, even though you were smiling. After that I kind of started looking for signs, and I found them. You know, the classic things, like how your eyes lit up when he came into the room, and how you were always asking about him when he wasn't around. And you never did like April much, did you? You were very subtle, though, I have to say that. I don't think anyone else would have noticed it. Maureen is too caught up in her own world, Joanne don't know you well enough, I think. Benny... I don't know about him. If he knows, he probably doesn't care. If Mimi knew she would have confronted you. And I bet you everything I own that Roger doesn't know. Picking up signals isn't exactly his strongest trait, you know.
And now you're asking me for advice. Mark, I suck at this, you know that! But I can see that I'm the only one you can turn to, so I'll try my best. I wish Angel was here. She would know what to say.
It's sad, but it's probably for the best that you don't tell Roger. Not that I think it would endanger your friendship, Roger wouldn't let that happen. But it could interfere with his relationship with Mimi, and I don't want to see that happen, because they are so good for each other, and you saw what happened to Mimi last time they broke up. She almost got herself killed. I know it probably hurts you to read this, but it's true, Mark. Believe me, no one would be happier than me if you and Roger got together, but I just can't see it happening. Maybe someday, who knows? Only time will tell.
Mark, hang in there, ok? Your love for Roger is something beautiful, don't think anything else. You're not sick, you're not crazy, and you're not perverted. Pathetic? Yeah, maybe, but aren't we all?
If it gets too much, come here to Santa Fe. You're always welcome here, you know that.
Take care! And let me know how things are.
Collins
It was a really nice change to find a letter from you. All I ever get is bills nowadays. I never knew it was so expensive running a restaurant. But I love it anyway.
To tell you the truth I was scared of opening the letter. Even though it didn't say who it was from, I'd recognize your messy handwriting anywhere. And my first reaction was that you wrote to tell me that something had happened. To Roger, or Mimi, or whoever. That's not very healthy, is it? I mean, if your first thought when you get a letter from a friend is "Oh my God, somebody died!" I think I just sat there, staring at the letter for about twenty minutes, before I finally opened it.
Yeah, you're right. I did suspect that you had feelings for Roger. I didn't think they were quite that strong, though. You're in love with him. Wow. I'm sorry, but I did get a silly grin on my face when I read that. Angel knew, of course. Nothing went past her.
I don't remember exactly when I noticed how you felt, but I think it was when Roger met April. Do you remember that night when he came home and declared that he'd met the girl of his dreams? He looked so happy and so in love, and I turned to you to say something, don't remember what. You were looking at him, and you had this expression of loss in your eyes, even though you were smiling. After that I kind of started looking for signs, and I found them. You know, the classic things, like how your eyes lit up when he came into the room, and how you were always asking about him when he wasn't around. And you never did like April much, did you? You were very subtle, though, I have to say that. I don't think anyone else would have noticed it. Maureen is too caught up in her own world, Joanne don't know you well enough, I think. Benny... I don't know about him. If he knows, he probably doesn't care. If Mimi knew she would have confronted you. And I bet you everything I own that Roger doesn't know. Picking up signals isn't exactly his strongest trait, you know.
And now you're asking me for advice. Mark, I suck at this, you know that! But I can see that I'm the only one you can turn to, so I'll try my best. I wish Angel was here. She would know what to say.
It's sad, but it's probably for the best that you don't tell Roger. Not that I think it would endanger your friendship, Roger wouldn't let that happen. But it could interfere with his relationship with Mimi, and I don't want to see that happen, because they are so good for each other, and you saw what happened to Mimi last time they broke up. She almost got herself killed. I know it probably hurts you to read this, but it's true, Mark. Believe me, no one would be happier than me if you and Roger got together, but I just can't see it happening. Maybe someday, who knows? Only time will tell.
Mark, hang in there, ok? Your love for Roger is something beautiful, don't think anything else. You're not sick, you're not crazy, and you're not perverted. Pathetic? Yeah, maybe, but aren't we all?
If it gets too much, come here to Santa Fe. You're always welcome here, you know that.
Take care! And let me know how things are.
Collins