india

yes niece i do know the book

you have in mind. i had no idea you knew

about it. a history, i think, of the family

you think? honestly auntie you haven't read it

and it's been in your posession for over 20 years? i guess

librarians don't have to read the books they mind.

i believe it's still around, i hoped to copy it one day

use your smart phone

..put it on my list to find and copy

use your smart phone

..one of a kind..never published

it's our history, auntie, no one else

cares. there's money there

 can you use 

your smart phone and take pics

that way you won't have to go

to the store and subject the book's

spine to the ignomy of the copy machine.

please, pictures. you have

a smart phone?

your children?

a lot on my plate at the moment.

*

niece,

i have found the book 

took it to an antique dealer you 

were right, it's not worth much,

except historically, agewise you know

perhaps you could help me with my back issues

 i can't find a way to get the book to you

it's way  too much effort to copy it.

auntie, 

how can i help? i can take it off your hands

for a few hundred bucks. family discount ya know

i would only rent it, return it to you after i take pictures

because i know how tedious that process can be.

as i recall the book is hefty. written tightly 

on both sides? i didn't get to hold it long

but grandpa showed it to me one time

when i told him i wanted to be a writer.

can you see your way to letting me borrow 

or rent it? the name of the author,

what do you know about her? perhaps

you can read it and paraphrase it to me

in missives between us if you don't want to use

the magic of the internet and phones...

niece,

i would love to let you borrow it

on the condition that you sign a note

  for a small sum per diem. just to establish

true ownership

auntie, you can't read it in the grave

i fear letting it transport through the mail

 with a father who was a postmaster, your fear is ironic and disrespectful

so if you provide air fair for my next trip

first class, no mask?

to your state i can bring it along 

and give it to you when you pick me up

at the airport in a city near you.

naturally you will book in city x instead

of the international airport in my city.

will you require any special transport needs:

colostomy bags, wheelchair accessibility, a sense of empathy?

looking foward to the reunion.