Inappropriate Love Letter

In high school , my BFF and I used to hang out at this local cafe called Bradey's in Kent near the university. On Fridays they'd have open mic poetry night and we'd all write poetry right at the table to recite. These days it's a Starbucks, but to us it'll always be Bradey's.

One time an older gentleman approached our table and left me an envelope. He must have been at least 30. I was 16. It was a love letter waxing poetic about the gentleness of my smile and my youthful beauty and how in a prefect world he could tell me these things face tho face and it'd be okay, but since it wasn't the letter would have to do. Throughout he called me nothing but Dearest.

After giving me the envelope he paid his bill and left. We never saw the man again. Which is probably for the best, honestly, because it was wildly inappropriate. I definitely did not look "older" than my age. But for the longest time thereafter my BFF jokingly referred to me as Dearest. It was an inside joke that I nearly forgot about until this shirt arrived from her yesterday and I'm not even sure she herself remembered before sending it.

I wonder what ever became of that man?