Thank Yous

Dear Friend of a Fire Family,

Thank you so much for the things you dropped off for us. It was very nice of you to drive over from Queens and give us things from your family that you don't need any more.

I can not help but wonder if you knew that we are three girls, our ages, or anything about us. It seems like you do not, based on the things you gave. Like how you gave us an American Girl Doll that has a weird crusty spot on her shirt, a throw-up smell, and half her hair hacked off.

Things like this always confuse me. Let's put aside the fact that Alex has not played with dolls since she was like seven. What I don't understand is looking at something, deciding it's garbage, but then deciding "No, let's give it to poor people. They'll appreciate it."

May I speak for the poor people? We appreciate being thought of. We appreciate like ... the time you took out of your day.

We are not desperate. I mean for money, we are. Food? We will always be happy to take free food. But really, garbage? If it's something you were initially going to throw in the garbage, thank you but no thank you.

It's not that we're ungrateful, but even poor people have standards. If something smells like throw-up to you, it will smell the same way to us. I know some people think that poor equals dirty (I haven't figured out why this is yet) but we are not dirty. Yes, Aunt Elaine hasn't showered the entire time we've lived here, but that's her. My sisters and I are very clean. We shower every single day. We do laundry every week. We will skip meals before eating food out of the trash.

Having gotten that out of the way, Danielle really appreciates the two velvet dresses. One is a little too short but she plans to wear it with jeans. Also, we will use all the t-shirts as sleeping shirts. Just as soon as we wash them to get the throw-up smell gone.

Thank you again,
Sam