Stationary Can Be Dangerous

My friend's niece, R., a fabulous young woman, is graduating from college today, and I still need to buy her a gift. The fact that she doesn't wear earrings complicated matters, and my friend is buying her a necklace (can't be redundant). Now, I'm in the journal/stationary zone, both of which have the potential to be "dust gathering" gifts, especially in the days where almost no one puts pen to paper anymore.

Despite the risk of dust-gathering, I'm still leaning towards stationary, as R. will be studying abroad in Oxford, England, in a Shakespearean Theatre program. I assume that in England things have changed more slowly and that like me, people still value writing by hand.

In fact, it was just last night that I was getting razzed by T., my significant other, for having boxes of letters in our storage unit, at the cost of $65 a month. I argued that the storage unit was also filled with camping equipment (never used) and golf clubs (never, never used) and other T.-owned belongings. But it is true: a chunk of the items are indeed just boxes and boxes of letters, written by a number of my friends, one in particular a boy who studied at Oxford and is now a published writer and professor. I think the letters are brilliant.

Of course, I think all the letters in my possession are brilliant, jewels, in fact. Two of the writers have since passed away, and their letters serve to keep their voices fresh in my mind when I run across them. Some letters are written by girlhood friends that are like time capsules of the 80's, which remind me how things do and don't change.

After the dinner table conversation last night, I can predict that the pressure will be on to divest myself of my letters of friends or long-lost loves, but I can assure you that my precious documents will go nowhere.

After sober reflection, to be on the safe side, maybe I'll just buy R. some flowers.