Part 97, page 165

Transcript

The scan is the source; the transcript is machine-generated from it.

2605 State Street Salem, Oregon 97310

---

24 [guess: November] 67

---

Dear Mom:

Well, its been a long time, hasn't it? I could guess it was as hard for you to write that last letter as it is for me to write this one.

Its been about eight years now since I have seen you. Seems much longer. Im 33 now and Im sure Ive lived the life of most people your age. Thats why I can understand the unhappiness in your life. For one person or another Im sure I have been a good part of the unhappiness you have had. I wish it could have been different, what happened?

Up until about six or seven months ago I never took the time to worry or wonder why things turned out as they have. Perhaps now I know. Im probably [guess: closer] now to the man you wanted me to be than ever before. In fact, I don't hardly believe how much my thinking has changed.

You know the only thing that bothers me right now is here I am 33 years old and I don't even have a close friend. I guess up until now I never really wanted one. For one thing if your not close with someone they sure can't hurt you.

You know its one thing not to have compassion for anyone, but its much harder to have compassion for many and not be able to show it. As you can see life hasn't been the happiest for me either. I know who's fault that is, its mine. Was I like that as a little boy?

I can remember when I was small I liked everybody and wanted them to like me. Somewhere I got the idea, and I don't know how old I was when this happened, that I wasn't getting my share in return.

---

DB Cooper-43696