My Pen Pal Marcus

I don't remember exactly when it started, but Marcus and I were pen pals.  We always enjoyed spending time together at family events, but since he lived in Idaho and I lived in Maryland, those occasions were few.  I wish I kept those letters, but the memories of those letters always bring a smile to my face.  We were 3 years apart, but we connected  in a way I had not connected with other cousins.  We wrote letters back and forth for several years. Those letters kept me laughing as well as encouraged me.  When I came out to Ricks college, I got to see Marcus a few times. One Christmas, Aunt Bonnie arranged for me to come to Boise and spend the week with them.  It was my first Christmas away from home, but Marcus and the rest of the family made me feel right at home.  When Marcus went to Hawaii to pick pinapples and I was on my mission we also kept in touch through letters again.  I am glad that I got to be part of Marcus' life though letters and also through  the time we got to spend together.  This past summer Marcus spent 4 days with me and my family at a family reunion in Idaho. He took time from his life to spend time with me doing dumb things like driving me to Sierra Trading post, a store in Boise, to buy shoes and to Walgreens to buy shirts from Idaho for my kids.  He helped arrange a boat trip down the Boise river and he came and took pictures with us at the park.  We laughed as we had our pictures taken together like we had done more than 20 years before at his house during Christmas.  I wish I could still be his pen pal now, but I guess we will be together in the future and I look forward to it just like I used to look forward to his letters and visits. 

--Lory Shelton Baird