Andrea Peters:
Love To Tim From the Outside In
Several years before the Okahoma City bombing, Tim met an attractive and appealing woman named Andrea Peters when he was employed as a Burns security guard. She assisted him in finding out who had been making crank calls to him when he was at work. Andrea was a secretary at Burns and it wasn't long before Tim became quite smitten with her. The two called on the telephone---sometimes the talks would last well into the night.
But Andrea just wished to be friends with him. Tim respected that, even though it saddened him that the first woman to whom he felt a strong connection and whom he fell in love with her.
I have my doubts that without Andrea in his life, Tim would have had a terrible time in prison. He wrote to her constantly, sending her valenines and affectionate letters for the next six years. Andrea never judged Tim, no matter how much trouble he was in and that meant the world to him. Andrea was Tim's salvation and I am very happy to know that, with the exchange of letters, Tim was able to survive by keeping his head out of the water and not drown in loneliness and despair. I have a great deal of respect and admiration for a woman who cared about him as a brother.
Thank you, Andrea Peters.
Love Amid the Hurting
His world had gone dark as the light of hope died.Alone and cold, trapped in a box of steel and cement,
He was a misguided patriot, once brimming with life,
Now owns nothing but his tarnished armour of pain.
Soon, pieces of dawn spray a fresh, dampened lawn,
But he knows no part of this glorious morning.
Banned from the free world and shackled with pain,
He has now only letters and cards filling the gaping void.
But as I wandered onto the stark prison campus,
I pass by his cell and, incredulously, see him smile.
The brave, young stars have dared to shine in daylight
And there was, despite everything, a reason for joy.
"Andrea, you mean more to me than you'll ever know.
There's so little to feel except hate and despair.
You told me once, I was like a big brother
And that, after my sentence of death, you'd stand firm."
A response from his Andrea brought tears to his eyes:
"To me, you will always be Tim. No matter what anyone says.
Why would I turn my back when you took your great fall?
You are family to me, Tim and that will not change,
There isn't a day when my heart doesn't find you."
