Chapter 24
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Monday 6/11/90
Dear Harry.
I'm sorry that you can't find a hideout but you do have at least one safe place to go, the restaurant as well as the library when it's open. I'm very glad you had the sense not to make a hideout in the storm water drains. I wish I believed you never went in them at all, please don't go again, they're just not safe places to be.
You need to warn your cousin and his friends about the storm drains again, it's not just his stuff that could be washed away, they are incredibly dangerous. Here in Nevada they can sometimes go from almost empty to completely full within minutes, even when the weather is fine here in the city and the rain is miles away up in the mountains, so it seems to occur without warning if you don't pay attention to the state-wide weather forecasts. There are often accidental deaths from people getting caught in the storm drains here. It might not be so very dangerous where you live but freak storms can happen anywhere. Though I must say that I'm surprised your cousin can fit through the openings into the storm drains in a suburban area, they're usually covered with locked grates to prevent people who aren't supposed to have business down there from getting into them and getting themselves into trouble. If you can't get them to listen to you, then you should consider telling an adult. Perhaps anonymously if you don't think they'd believe you because of your false reputation.
I know you might sometimes like to think of your cousin and the other kids that bully you being washed away and I don't blame you for feeling that way. As much as he and his friends might deserve at least a good scare, I know you would feel horribly guilty if one of them drowned when you could have easily prevented it. And I don't want you to panic and feel that you have to risk your own life to go and warn them if you know they're in there when it does start to pour raining.
I'm also afraid of what Vernon and Petunia would do to you if Dudley was seriously injured or killed, whether you could've done anything to prevent it or not and this situation where he's hanging out somewhere you know is dangerous you would feel guilty and if they saw the least expression of guilt on your face it would be a disaster. An orphanage is the best thing I could imagine, but it's possible if the storm water was still present that Vernon could take you and throw you in.
I've managed to contact Mom's sister and her husband. They still live just north of Vegas so it won't be very convenient for them to visit Mom every day but it won't be too difficult either, if I can get a couple of Mom's old friends to help they'll only need to come once or twice per week. Anyway they're coming to afternoon tea next week to catch up with Mom and discuss it. I can't remember the last time they came, of course I might have been at school but they hadn't heard that Dad had left us so it has been a while. I don't know why they stopped visiting, and I want to know why and that they won't abandon her again before I leave Mom in their care. I hope it works out.
Did you enjoy 'The Mysterious Adventures of Sherlock Holmes', I have never read it. Too busy with technical books and science and other things. I tend to avoid detective stories the one's I've read seem all too obvious. But Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is supposed to be the best mystery writer in the English world. If you recommend it, I will give it a try.
I have been reading the autobiography of Nichola Tesla, he invented the alternating current induction motor which contributed to making electricity current useable, but I don't think that I'd recommend it to you yet. You'd need more education on electricity, engineering and physics to make sense of it.
I ate at our buffet yesterday. The lady who was working the cash register at the entrance recognised me, she asked me my name last time I was there and today she actually said "Hello Spencer, I'm glad you came by, we have your favourite dessert today." I nearly combusted my face got so red but she just laughed and handed me my plate and cutlery. They did have too, peach cobbler so she must have been watching me for a while.
I'd say that I'm sorry you don't get the long summer holiday we do but I think you're right that you're better off being at school. At least with people expecting to see you every day the Dursleys are less likely to lock you up so between your school dinner and the restaurant you're getting fed decently even if Petunia does start keeping track of the food. Do you really think she will though? I can't see the woman who let her son eat entire trays of deserts for lunch depriving him of his midnight snacks, it's not like she cares about his diet or she'd only stock healthy foods at home to help him lose weight.
Your friend
Spencer
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