San Francisco, California
September 6, 2000

Dear Readers,

Today’s letter is by Cheryl Wagner, a writer and journalist and Open Letters editor who lives in New Orleans, Louisiana. Cheryl’s most public contribution to Open Letters, prior to today’s letter about her next-door neighbor, Gabriella, is her now-legendaryinterview, way back in issue #2, with Sam and Zak, the prolific and curious smokers.

Behind the scenes, too, Cheryl’s contributions have been considerable. It was Cheryl, for instance, who first pointed out that we had run two letters with Ikea references in a single week; and Cheryl, too, who hooked us up with a deal on free stickers for our big bookstore plan.

Cheryl’s letter is, in a way, about the end of summer; we’ll be running a few more similarly themed letters this week, and if all goes well, on Saturday, to round things out, a back-to-school interview with a five-year-old. We’re in negotiations. Can’t say more. Don’t want to jinx it.

Yours truly,

Paul Tough