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Saturday 24/3/90
Dear Spencer
It wasn't your fault your Dad left. I know it wasn't! I know that doesn't mean much coming from me who never met him and doesn't remember having a father, but think about it, if any kid deserved to have a father walk out and not come back it would be Dudley. He doesn't do a single thing but whine for what he wants when his father's around. And still Vernon thinks he's wonderful and spoils him even more rotten than he is already and Dudley's friends' fathers are just as bad. And I know you. You are the best friend I could ever imagine, and the best son I've ever heard of outside of a book. You and your mother love each other so much and I know you loved your Dad too before he left, you probably still do, though he doesn't deserve it. I don't know why your Dad left and you may never know what's stopping him from calling you, writing a letter every now and then or coming to see you but I do know that it wasn't anything you did or didn't do. Father's are supposed to love their children and if they don't it's a failing in the father as a person not a failure of the child to be worth loving. You know this from your studies into families and from literature in general. It's your Dad's fault that he's not there with you. He's the one that was too weak to look after your mother, too uncaring to make sure the two of you were properly looked after, and too selfish to take you with him when he left. He should be ashamed for breaking up your family and for leaving you with your Mom. I know you wouldn't have wanted to leave her for very long, but it was still wrong of him to leave the two of you alone. If he really couldn't stay, then he should have organised someone else to help you.
I have read 'Alice in Wonderland' at the library, it was very strange, while I was reading I didn't want to put it down but now it's finished I'm not sure that I liked it. Does that make sense to you? Anyway, now I'm reading 'Adventures of Huckleberry Finn', they didn't have the Tom Sawyer book. I'm enjoying it but I think it's probably one of those books I'm going to have to read again later to really understand, or learn more about the racial differences in America because a lot of it doesn't really make sense to me. It is entertaining though. My teacher also recommended that we read 'Maniac Magee' about an orphan who runs away from his aunt and uncle, the whole class I mean not just me and Dudley. I wonder if she was trying to encourage me to run away, and if so why? Does she think I'd be better off away from them or does she think that they'd be happier if I left? I looked for the book in the library but it's already checked out so I'll have to wait to read it.
You're right that there are days that not having to deal with bullies would make working alone seem like a good idea but I'm hoping that once I get away from the Dursleys and their lies, people won't be like that. Just about everyone I met in Las Vegas was friendly, or at least nice and polite, like my friends at the restaurant who don't know the Dursleys, or at least don't know that I'm their freak nephew because I expect that they do eat here the food is great and the serving sizes are pretty large so Vernon should like it.
I also think that I might want to do something where I get to work outside or with food. I really enjoy helping out in the kitchen of the restaurant. At dinner time it's so busy and kind of crazy with everyone rushing here and there and the chef calling out orders but everyone has their role and they all work together to get the meals out. It's fascinating to watch but most of the time when I'm there it's too early for that, the kitchen is calm and everyone jokes and laughs as they work, and we all know that doing the prep work then helps when it's busy later. It feels good to be part of that.
The staff at the restaurant are interested in my letters. I told them you asked me to thank them for you and they were happy that you're as grateful as I am. I explained to then who you were when I first asked them if they'd keep the letters for me. I don't think that they expected us to keep writing to each other as often as we do. They're still happy for you to send my letters there for me, just surprised that we haven't lost contact.
I wasn't saying that you shouldn't try to find a cure for Schizophrenia if that's what you wanted to do. I think that you'd be brilliant at it and it probably needs someone who's brilliant and highly motivated to find a cure. I was just worried that you'd get too upset if you couldn't do it first try. From what I've heard when they mention breakthrough's on the news, researching new treatments takes years and years, even after they think they have discovered it before it can be given to people. I've heard Vernon complaining about the slow progress of these things and giving people false hope by announcing them before they're ready to use. Of course he also complains about the cost of research and the appearance of the people doing the research so maybe I've got it wrong.
Your friend
Harry
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