Disclaimer: I don't own this, bladdy bladdy blah.
Dear Holden,
Well, I haven't talked to you in a long time, and I haven't seen you in just about forever. How are you doing? What have you been up to recently? I've been thinking about you a lot in the past few weeks, so I decided to send you a letter to find out how you're doing. How's your new school? Do you have good teachers? I'm fairly sure lots of people have asked you this, but—are you working hard? Are you doing the best that you can?
I know that you aren't very happy with the fact that I'm writing for movies now, and not writing stories and books like I used to. I know that you don't like movies very much, and, if I'm not mistaken, you're a bit disappointed that I've become part of the process of making them. Now, I'm not going to ask you to go and see the movies that have been using my scripts, but I'm just saying it would be nice. You're the only member of our family who hasn't seen any of my movies.
Why is it that you don't like movies? What is it that you call movies again? Phonies? Why do you think that movies are phony? Personally, I don't get it. I *do* have to make money, you know...and writing is how I make money. Whether that means writing novels, poems, Broadway shows or movie scripts, it's still writing.
I remember when you were about seven or eight—and I guess I must have been about thirteen—and I took you and Allie to see that movie about the dog, Old Yeller. You know, the one where in the end of the movie, the dog gets rabies and the boy or whoever needs to shoot him. Do you remember? I do...when they shot that dog, you were so upset. Sure, you were only a kid—younger than Phoebe is now—but you still understood. Allie didn't understand, though. He was too young at the time. But you were old enough, and you were so upset, almost crying, when they killed that dog.
My point is, is that movie affected you somehow, Holden. Now, I know you're going to say—"I was only a kid, though!" etc., etc. But it just shows you that movies aren't obviously all phonies. And, after all, never judge a book by its cover. Whatever might seem bad or phony at first may really not be when you think about it.
For example, remember that kid that you used to be friends with, that lived down the street from us, who moved here from Boston? Jake something or other? On the first day of school that you two had together, you came home and talked about what a stuck-up kid he was, how he was so mean, and you hated him. You may not remember, but I *do* remember how that kid became your best friend for about three years.
Not everything's as bad as you sometimes make it out to be, Holden. If there are bad people everywhere in the world, there have to be good people as well. Bad people can't be bad without someone good in comparison. Read between the lines. That's what I always do.
From, your brother,
D.B.
Dear Holden,
Well, I haven't talked to you in a long time, and I haven't seen you in just about forever. How are you doing? What have you been up to recently? I've been thinking about you a lot in the past few weeks, so I decided to send you a letter to find out how you're doing. How's your new school? Do you have good teachers? I'm fairly sure lots of people have asked you this, but—are you working hard? Are you doing the best that you can?
I know that you aren't very happy with the fact that I'm writing for movies now, and not writing stories and books like I used to. I know that you don't like movies very much, and, if I'm not mistaken, you're a bit disappointed that I've become part of the process of making them. Now, I'm not going to ask you to go and see the movies that have been using my scripts, but I'm just saying it would be nice. You're the only member of our family who hasn't seen any of my movies.
Why is it that you don't like movies? What is it that you call movies again? Phonies? Why do you think that movies are phony? Personally, I don't get it. I *do* have to make money, you know...and writing is how I make money. Whether that means writing novels, poems, Broadway shows or movie scripts, it's still writing.
I remember when you were about seven or eight—and I guess I must have been about thirteen—and I took you and Allie to see that movie about the dog, Old Yeller. You know, the one where in the end of the movie, the dog gets rabies and the boy or whoever needs to shoot him. Do you remember? I do...when they shot that dog, you were so upset. Sure, you were only a kid—younger than Phoebe is now—but you still understood. Allie didn't understand, though. He was too young at the time. But you were old enough, and you were so upset, almost crying, when they killed that dog.
My point is, is that movie affected you somehow, Holden. Now, I know you're going to say—"I was only a kid, though!" etc., etc. But it just shows you that movies aren't obviously all phonies. And, after all, never judge a book by its cover. Whatever might seem bad or phony at first may really not be when you think about it.
For example, remember that kid that you used to be friends with, that lived down the street from us, who moved here from Boston? Jake something or other? On the first day of school that you two had together, you came home and talked about what a stuck-up kid he was, how he was so mean, and you hated him. You may not remember, but I *do* remember how that kid became your best friend for about three years.
Not everything's as bad as you sometimes make it out to be, Holden. If there are bad people everywhere in the world, there have to be good people as well. Bad people can't be bad without someone good in comparison. Read between the lines. That's what I always do.
From, your brother,
D.B.