My Pen-Pal

In the computer era, where chatting or “Face book” and “Orkut” are prevalent, the concept of a pen-pal may seem outdated. Letter writing in its primitive form is seldom seen even as it is referred to as “snail-mail”.

This was not true when we grew up. When I was in the seventh grade years ago, the pen-pal concept had just caught on and was spreading like wild fire. Students would flaunt special forms that you had to fill in and send to get a pen-pal. We had to give our choice of age, gender and of course, country. I was enamoured by the idea but I did not have an access to the forms so I let it pass. Then, all of a sudden my father walks in from work one evening with a baby pink envelope in his hands with flowers printed on the corner. The handwriting was almost illegible but the stamp said USA. I was thrilled to see my name on it. It was a short note of about five lines. The person was a Muffin Mc Cabe. I had no clue how this person got my address but was ecstatic. I wondered whether it was a boy or a girl- the name seemed vague. The pink colour made me believe that it was a girl. Muffin said her hobby was playing softball and I kept wondering what ball that was! I read the letter over and over again and then replied using all the rules of letter writing I had been taught till then. Sure enough, I am still waiting for a reply!

Pen-pal was a novel idea for international interaction. With movies like “You’ve Got Mail” I wonder whether it will flourish in its old form ever again.