March 2, 2004 - From Mr. Vegas to TML:
Hi, Ms. Tara,
I'm here. I'm here. This is me, Vegas. I made it.
I got to meet Ms. Mary this morning. She opened the envelope outside the post office and the bright sun blinded me at first. She pulled me out and kissed me right on the mouth. Oh, I think I'm going to like it here!
I got to sit in her lap while we drove to work. Sometimes she put her hand on me and talked to me, and sometimes she petted me a little, and sometimes she had to have both hands on the steering wheel 'cuz she said there were lots of cars around. I didn't look out the window. I liked just being on her lap. Ms. Tara, I got to ride in a red convertible. I think I would have been scared if the top had been down -- I wouldn't want to blow right out -- but it was fun when the top was over me and the windows were shut.
Ms. Mary let me sit on her desk all day and watch what she was doing. I took little naps when she was out of the office, and she always shut and locked the door while she was gone so I would feel safe. And just before lunch, she took me upstairs and Ms. Brittany hugged me and petted me and said I was really cute. She's cute, too. And she's not married! I didn't have time to ask her if she had a boyfriend. I'd rather live with Ms. Mary anyway. When she was telling Ms. Brittany about Patriot Bear SIR and Mr. Valentine and Humphrey and Just Ducky and all the others, I really really really wanted to go see them right away. But I made myself be patient, well, as patient as a little purple zebra can be, anyway.
Ms. Mary left work early to take her boss' wife home, so I got to ride a long time in the red convertible, and Ms. Betty petted me and said I was cute. (She's married to Ms. Mary's boss, so I behaved myself on her lap.) And then Ms. Mary stopped to vote and stopped to get dinner (Is a chilidog from Weinerschnitzle a good dinner? I think I need to help her eat better stuff. A small bale of fresh hay and a little bucket of fresh water would have been a much better meal -- and a few tender green leaves for dessert. Mmmmm.) And finally we got to the apartment building and parked the car.
I was getting nervous and feeling kind of shy, so Ms. Mary tucked me close and told me not to worry 'cuz everyone would love me and I would love them. I know that's true 'cuz I had lots of time to think about it during the trip -- when I wasn't sleeping -- but, you know how it is when you meet people for the first time.
We walked in the front door and all of a sudden somebody yelled, "It's an Easter zebra! I knew it! I knew it! It's an Easter zebra!" and a bunny up on the bookshelf was hopping up and down and smiling and giggling. And then everyone else started smiling and giggling and waving. And Ms. Mary introduced me to all of them -- that bunny's name is New Bunny and he came here about a year ago. And when we got to the white bear that salutes all the time, Ms. Mary said his name is Patriot Bear SIR and he is in charge so I must listen when he talks. And he said, "HARRUMPH!" New Bunny said, "That means he likes you." And everybody smiled some more.
I talked to TaraBear for a minute. She sits right between the knees of a really big bear; they called him Millennium Bear and he's known Ms. Mary for more than four years!
For tonight, I get to curl up on the sofa with Mr. Valentine (he's a black bear from Maryland) and Humphrey (he's a camel from Alabama) and the BunnyBear (he's from the Sav-On store here in Long Beach). We can see the rest of the family up on the bookshelf and they can see us. Oh, Ms. Tara, I really like it here and I am so glad you told me about this place and I am so happy you helped me get here. Thank you.
I'm going to miss seeing you at the store. Will you come and see me here one day? (I don't think Ms. Mary would make you sleep up on the bookshelf with all of us.)
I have to go now 'cuz it's getting close to sleeptime and I am really tired from all the traveling and it will be so nice to just be quiet and still for a whole night. I wonder what time everybody wakes up in the morning. I can see the clock from the sofa. I wish I could tell time.
Love, Vegas