Showing posts with label Being Pen Pals with Manute Bol. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Being Pen Pals with Manute Bol. Show all posts

Letters From The Rafters

By Scott



When I was 5 years old in 1988, I began a pen-pal correspondence with 7'7" NBA center, Manute Bol. For the next 10 years, we stayed in touch. Phenomenal touch. I'll never know why it stopped, but it did, and I have moved on. I hadn't seen a single one of those letters until last weekend. I was in a car crash and they flew out all over the place. They were in my car's transmission.


Should I throw these intimate letters away? Nay, many of them will be posted now on this website. My first letter to him was just a blank piece of paper with the question, "Why?" written on it. Here is his first letter to me. His response.


Hello, Scott!

Why? Why not?! That is what I say. Everything can be solved with a simple, "Why not?". Hehe! How are you, little one? I am doing very well. I very much enjoy playing basketball for the Washington Bullets. Do you like that? The Washington Bullets? I don't very much. I want to play somewhere else a lot. Do you ever feel like that? Even though they say you are 5, do you wish you were somewhere different? Like away from Washington DC? Oh there I go again. I'm not even sure if you live in Washington DC. You might even live within the moon for as much as I know! Hehe. Nevermind about that. But really. Do you not like where you live? There is a lot of stress living in places. First you have to find a nice place to live, then you have to buy the grocery, then you have to get one dog or a cat! RRR! Its enough to pack my suitcase for me! And on a basketball note, I'm having a worse year than prior years. Fewer blocks, fewer points, and my goodness the rebounds I'm not getting! There will be a better day though, soon if everything changes. I am a young gentleman, so that could take place right now or a time later! Oh there I go. For the sake of ending on a happy note, I hope you go to school and make good friends! I hope to keep up now!


Friendships,

Mr. Bol


P.s. - Today is Wednesday in Washington! That means I treat myself to a meal at a restaurant! Gracious!!