I got a lot of mail, and try to answer all of it, but never seem to have enough time. Despite my best intentions, things seem to get answered in the following order:

• Business correspondence, especially job offers.
• Brief simple questions for which I have the answer readily at hand.
• Letters from new acquaintances requiring a brief comment.
• Letters from friends about which I feel guilty because I haven’t responded to their last letter yet.
• Long, intelligent witty letters of introduction or thanks that make me feel as if I actually had a purpose for doing all this, but require actual thought to respond.

I love getting them, please continue to send them, but please be patient. I may not be able to respond for a while. If you have something you need me to answer, please consider sending it alone in a brief email. If the letter takes more than a screen, my brain shorts out and I get panicky about more in-box fodder, and being considered an even more ungrateful lout than I already am.

©1997 Leigh Witchel. All rights reserved.