Seven Letters to a Stranger

They wrote about loneliness without using the word. Owen described the chair his brother always left empty. Ada described buying two cups because one looked too deliberate.

By the sixth letter, they were arguing affectionately about music. By the seventh, Ada had admitted that she sometimes avoided invitations because she was afraid of being disappointing in person.

Owen replied that he did the same thing. Then he offered to meet at a public concert where neither would have to make conversation constantly.

Ada held his letter for a whole evening before answering. She had become comfortable with the person she was on paper. Going out meant allowing that person to breathe, stumble and say something ordinary. She wrote: Saturday. I will probably arrive early and pretend not to.