Hidden Style

You would never know it to look at the guy, but Hansel Feinstein was a sharp dressed man. He kept his trouser creases so sharp they could cut. He coordinated his various ensembles like a special forces surgical strike. He had no fewer than fifty sets of cufflinks for every occasion and he kept a man on retainer just to keep his closet of shoes, from loafers to wing tips and every other piece of footwear imaginable, polished and ready to go at a moment's notice. He had closet after walk in closet dedicated to shirts alone with every possible attractive combination of cut, cloth, and color. His suit guy was so talented, Italian tailors imported from him. Hansel was a clothing god.

But it never did any good. His silk double breasted charcoal pinstripe, a textile work of art, never swayed a single negotiation, though its very appearance could make the hardest CEO yield to anything. His two-tone zoot suit with the white gold and pearl buttons could make the most chaste women chase him, but they never had a chance to, for they never saw it. Hansel's drive for the perfect outfit was so acute that though he wore his exquisite clothes constantly, he could never reveal them for fear that a touch of dust here or the wrong lighting there might ruin the effect and present him in an unrivaled but still inferior light. And so the world's best dresser walked the earth in a protective plastic suit, no one ever the wiser at the immaculate clothing hidden beneath that sixteenth of an inch of yellow vinyl.

- Originally mailed to J. Womack in Brooklyn, New York

The Crystal Skull

Spencer Escobar always held a keen fascination with the legend of the crystal skulls of ancient Mesoamerica. He wondered at their mystical powers and arcane origins. He pondered their purpose and delved deep into the recesses of the internet for any facts, theories, rumors, or gossip he could find about them. So devoted was he to the crystal skulls that he visited every known collection and exhibit, drank only Crystal Skull vodka. He even saw Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls more than once and swore up and down to any who would listen that the movie was actually good, making him the only person on record to do either. No scientific evidence or analysis could persuade him. Crafting techniques were too modern? Made by a now extinct advanced civilization. Materials were from the wrong part of the world? Aliens aren't concerned about oceans. Dating techniques revealed they were made in the 19^th century? What a mystery! The ancients who made it could have been time travelers, or used some other yet unknown technique! He refused to have his beliefs debunked. His biggest wish was to one day discover a crystal skull of his own. Then he could prove they were not fraudulent, as he would know his was no forgery but a real authentic piece of legend. As it happened, he found himself at a Halloween party, and there in the punch bowl, he saw one, laying among the red mix of fruit juice and rum. He rushed home to get a proper case, something that would keep the skull safe from damage or theft, something that would let the world know this was his find and they should not touch it. Naturally, he had planned for such a find years ago, but alas, when he returned to the party, the skull was gone. His only clue as to who had stolen it was the punch itself, which was a bit more watered down than when he had left.

- Originally mailed to J. Lawrence in Roseland, New South Wales, Australia

Petra Fan

Sue McDaniels loved the Ender's Game series, particularly any parts dealing with Petra Arkanian, the only girl in Ender's jeesh. The character represented all that women could accomplish, being the commander of an army who can stand on her own, who could stay strong when others crumbled around her. She possessed the keen sort of intellect that could help mastermind an escape from a virtual prison. She was everything Sue wanted to be. Every year for Halloween, she would dress as Petra in one form or another. Salamander Army Petra. Dragon Army Petra. Launchie to Command School and beyond into Bean's Shadow books. Sue served in the air force and married a short guy named Julian. She named her seven children appropriately. She lived her life as Petra. Many told her she was obsessed on the verge of insanity. They teased and mocked, but she didn't care, for on reflection at the end of her days, she looked back and saw that like her hero, she had not lived a life of fear. When times of crisis came, she rose to the challenge, she faced adversity head on, and fought to protect the people and the nation she loved. She lived a life she could be proud of. There were worse role models to have.

- Originally mailed to C. Townsend from Hattiesburg, Mississippi