The Chain Letter

THE CHAIN LETTER

As only my luck would have it, Mother was taking off my bed sheets so she could wash them-- when she came across the Chain Letter. I had placed it under my pillow before leaving for school. So as soon as I came home, Mother was full of questions. Questions I didn't have the answers to. I didn't know what to say, so I just told her, "Some of the girls in my class are probably getting silly and playing a joke."

Mother's comment was, "Marty, you're a senior this year, and if this is the best you and your classmates can give to the world, then we're all in a lot of trouble." I told Mother it should be taken in the spirit of "fun". She frowned and said, "In my day, FUN was going to a Saturday afternoon flick with your beau. Not sending out death threats!"

"Mother," I replied, "get with TODAY, it's 1951 already!"

She shook her head at my youthful attitude, then walked away. I called my friend, Tish. We talked for an hour, or so, before I got ready for work. Mother asked what time I'd be home. "Around twelve," I answered and quickly left before she could start asking any more questions. Like where I was going after work. With who, and on-and-on. I love my Mother, but at times she gets on my nerves real bad.

I guess it's because we are so much alike.

The restaurant where I was employed was quite busy and I made some good tips. I wished I didn't have to work so damn hard most of my spare time. But I knew that was the only way I was going to get to college after graduation. My parents helped out all they could, but the bottom line was - they didn't have enough money to pay their own bills. Enough said.

After work I drove over to the Pizza Palace where most of the crowd I hung out with, spent their time. We shared some beer and pizza. And during the conversation, Tish asked if I knew what had happened to Babe. I told her, "No," with a curious look.

"Well," Tish went on, "remember those chain letters we all got a couple of weeks ago? It seems as though Babe took it to heart. Only one thing she shouldn't have done, was sign her name to each of the six letters she sent out in return. I guess some of the parents are making a big fuss about all of it too."

"What a mess," I told Tish, then excused myself to head home. I was really beat after waiting tables at the restaurant all evening.

In my bedroom, laying on the bed, was the chain letter I had received. Right where Mom had left it. Actually I was surprised she didn't throw it out. I read the letter again while thinking, "Babe is a top 'A' student, how could she be so moronic and do a stupid thing like sign her name, let alone fall for the gag in the first place! The pieces just don't fit together somehow-"

It didn't take me long to fall off to sleep.

Morning came all too fast. Later in class, I noticed Ruthie staring at me. Ruthie and I went way back. We started Kindergarten together. But Ruthie was on the odd side. Don't get me wrong, she was a beautiful girl, but she was definitely strange. Guys would ask her out on dates all right. But she always turned them down flat. So after twelve years, we all knew where we stood with Ruthie.

At a safe distance.

Our final exams were all that week and I had a lot of studying to do. Plus go to work every night, except Sunday. Tish was having a party that Friday night. As much as I wanted to be there with my friends, I knew my place was at work. Meanwhile, all the parents were getting together and talking about the now-infamous chain letter. I thought it was all so juvenile and couldn't believe the attention it was getting. Like it was a real curse or something. Babe confessed she'd sent out the next round of six chain letters. Because she felt if she didn't, something bad would happen to her. That was her story anyway. Admittedly, Babe showed her real innocence by signing her name. Of course it couldn't be traced before that point. But then, no one ever seems to know where those kind of things get their beginning.