June 3, 2006
Dear Ephram,
I got in! I got in! The acceptance letter came the same day as your last letter! (I love the pictures of you at the Vienna Opera House, by the way. You in tails is a sight to see! Next time you're there, it will be to play, I'm sure. Who's the girl in the picture?)
Sorry…tangent. Anyway, the dean I met with in the spring said I could start the pre-rec classes in July. And since I had some bio at NYU, I won't be so overwhelmed, even though I'm now facing at least 6 years of school after undergrad. Unbelievable. I'm so glad Colorado State's Veterinary Program is one of the best in the country – it would have been too hard to be away for that long! It's good to be closer to home. And my dad finally gets a doctor out of me. I don't even want to entertain the thought that he was right all along!!!
Being back in Colorado feels right, you know? But Everwood is lonely. You're not here and Bright's last letter said he was in Cameroon…it's all too weird. You know I love my stupid brother, but I never would have imagined he'd be the one to try and save the world at 20. His letters are so different from last year. Last year he seemed to be in shock about everything, now he sounds very determined. He reminds me of Aunt Linda.
I got a call from Jeremy last week. He's in New York and begging me to come back. He said he'd changed. I wanted to scream at him. How could I have been so incredibly stupid, Ephram?
Don't answer that.
So despite the aggravation of having to deal with the Worst Ex-Boyfriend In The World, Jeremy's call reminded me of something. It reminded me to thank you again for what you said to me on your layover to Austria. I know I probably wasn't as appreciative at the time…I didn't want to see what a mess things had become…but looking back, I don't know if I would have had the courage to come home and reevaluate this whole college thing. So thank you…five months late. J
I'm leaving for Colorado Springs in two weeks and renting a place with Laynie.
Write back soon.
Hugs,
Amy
***
June 20, 2006
Hey Amy,
Sorry this has to be quick. I'm heading to Salzburg for a few weeks for a master class and have to catch the train in 30 minutes. I'm really happy for you about CSU. Send an e-mail with your new address.
I'll send you more pictures from the Opera House. It was a crazy night. The girl is Susanna, a cellist here at the university. Say hi to Laynie.
Aufwiedersehen!
E.
P.S. You're welcome.
***
July 3, 2006
Delia,
Do NOT, I repeat DO NOT, think that just because I'm all the way over in the land of schnitzel and lederhosen, that I will not be keeping a psychic eye on you and Mr. "Boy Band" on your date. (I can't believe I just typed that! You're ONLY 13!!!) I already e-mailed Dad a picture of me looking really angry and threatening (don't laugh…you haven't seen me in a few months and I might be like the Hulk, for all you know) and I told him to tape it to the front door when this boy comes to pick you up.
Sorry I can't be there to perform the time honored right of scaring the crap out of my little sister's date – I'll just have to make up for it later. Be safe, or I'll kick his ass.
Your Older and Wiser Brother
***
July 4, 2006
Hey Grover,
I'll be out of touch for the next month or so. The team I'm with is building houses and bathrooms for this town that's been completed trashed by civil wars and neglect and stuff. To see all these people living in what we wouldn't even consider a decent ice-shack back home really sucks. I'm pretty psyched to get working. And there's a totally hot doctor coming, too!
I'm thinking about Colin today. I know you are, too.
Love ya,
Bright
***
July 24, 2006
Hi Ephram,
Delia and I are all packed and Nina's looking after Oscar while we're gone. Though I wouldn't mind if she made a rabbit stew out of him…that fur-ball with fangs chewed through my favorite flannel shirt last night! Here's our flight info:
______________________________________________________
Your Trip Details
______________________________________________________
Flight: American Airlines flight 2255 (Non-Stop)
Depart: Denver (DEN) - TERMINAL B
' Fri, July 25 at 12:30 pm
Arrive: New York-Kennedy (JFK) - Terminal Information Unavailable
' Fri, July 25 at 6:01 pm
______________________________________________________
Flight: Lufthansa flight 606 (One connection)
Depart: New York-Kennedy (JFK) - Terminal Information Unavailable
' Sun, July 27 at 8:15 pm
Arrive: Vienna, Austria (VIE)
' Mon, July 28 at 12:20 pm
We're staying the Friday and Saturday with your grandparents. You'll still be able to pick us up on Monday, right? We change planes in Dusseldorf, but I don't know what time of the morning or night that will be.
Miss you, Ephram. Can't wait to see you.
Dad
***
August 3, 2006
Ephram,
Organic will be the bane of my existence! Everyone has told me to expect to fail it the first time I take it. How can that be an academic pursuit?
I checked out the website with your master class performing. I could listen to the whole concert in the computer lab and this might sound stupid, but I swear I could tell when you were playing the piano and when it was someone else. Are you back in Vienna now?
And hey, my mom told me that she saw Delia a few weeks ago with a bunch of kids at the pizza place. Apparently, Rachel Elliot's (remember her? She's pregnant now!!!) little brother was staring at Delia like she was "made of chocolate"…that's my mom's quote, not mine.
My NYU e-mail address is about to go inactive, so from now on, just e-mail me at this one.
Amy
***
August 13, 2006
Dear Bright,
Happy Birthday! This is the last address we have for you, so I hope you get this. I just wanted you to know that your mother and I love you. Especially your mother…to whom I wish you would write. And I can't say it would only be for her sake, it would make things nicer for me around here as well.
Stay safe and for God's sake, if you write your mother, don't tell her I asked you to! This has been hard on you both, I know, but one of you needs to make a move and she's currently filibustering from Better Homes and Gardens. So I'm simply going to request that you don't drag me into it as well. I'm content to sit on the sidelines with this one. I explained my position to Dr. Quack the other night and that bearded ninny seems content to call me the flag bearer in this little war of wills you two have going.
And in case you don't know it, or have forgotten it as you traipse about the African continent, I'm proud of you, son. And your Aunt Linda would be proud, too.
Love,
Dad
P.S. I don't know how often you contact Amy, but you might want to know that she weathered July 4 very well. I hope you did the same.
***
August 16, 2006
Hey Amy,
Now I know why I live so far away from home. Dad and Delia left yesterday, which is why I haven't really had the time to write. Three weeks! Three weeks is an inhumane time to have my father and very-teenage acting sister in my very tiny apartment! I mean, we had a good time and they traveled a lot, but I am so glad to be going back to San Francisco, and not stopping in Everwood. It will feel weird to be back in the States after almost seven months here, but I can't even tell you how much I'm looking forward to a good, greasy pizza.
I'm sorry you didn't get to visit while I've been here. I guess things would have been too weird last semester. But maybe you can come to San Fran for Fall Break? The Conservatory's break is the second weekend in October. What's CSU's?
Our last night here is Friday, so we're all going out in an hour or so to a huge house party at Susanna's (the girl in the picture). Her father is an embassy big-wig and they have an amazing place in the center of the city. Somehow I don't think my jeans and Giant Robot t-shirt will work, so I guess I should go find something nice from the bottom of the laundry pile.
Good luck with your first official semester as a pre-vet! And for what it's worth, I think Colorado is the better choice over New York. (You do know it caused me physical pain to write that, don't you?)
Later,
Ephram
