To Whom it Mightn't Concern

NOTICE

To all students of year 9:

The physical Ed. Department has the pleasure to announce that we are running a penpal project for the topic: ‘Human Interactions’. You will be writing to St. Jonathan’s Catholic College (all boys school). This project will commence on Wednesday 15th February. It will run for the remainder of this semester. However, correspondence can be continued after our program. Those that are interested, please put your name down on the list below.

Julia Horton

Stephanie Chan

Stacy Lin

Tamara Summer

Kathleen Baker

Serenity Smith

Jessica Johnson

Lisa Clark

Fiona Studdert

SuLin Huang

Perdy Lim


-------------------------------------------------Tuesday 14th Feb
K. OMG, you guys, have you got a load of the teacher’s dress. I mean, what is with the belt?

J. Katy, stop passing notes. You’ll get us in detention again.

S. Yeah, my dad will totally kill me

J. Wait, what did she say about ostracising?

K. Like I’d know, I was too busy trying to ignore the dress.

J. OMG, she’s heading towa------

That was so close…we could have gotten detention again.

S. Well quit writing then

J. Hypocrite


-------------------------------------------------Wednesday 15th Feb
Dear Pen Pal,

Hello, my name is Serenity Smith. You probably already know that I’m from St. Matilda’s Ladies College (since it’s written all over the envelope) and I’m in Yr. 9. I think that this pen pal project is a great idea. Not only do we get to know more people but we’re also reviving the old-fashioned methods of communication through letter writing. This is going to be fun!

Maybe I should tell you a little more about me, let me see, I have shoulder length brown hair, hazel eyes and I’m around 165cm tall. I love reading and writing. I’ve been playing the piano since I was 5 and the flute since I was 8. My favourite school subjects are English, History, Music and French. (Oh yeah, I also speak a little French). What else, I do a little gymnastics at North Bay Recreational Centre on the weekends after I go to art class.

I have two of the best friends in the world. Kate, who has a different hairstyle every week, is totally outrageous. The teachers are constantly telling her off for her abuse to the school’s uniform conduct but it never stops her. She’s currently sprawled all over the grass in front of me reading the latest edition of Dolly. Her hair is red this eek. Next week I think she’s going black. She keeps starring at me and telling me to quit doing homework at lunchtime. I’m--- sorry, Kate just snatched this letter away from me, she is saying that she can’t believe I’ve already started since today’s the first day. But who could wait! I was itching to write all morning and even found it hard to concentrate in English!

Lets see…where was I? Oh yeah, my other friend is Jessie, the prettiest girl in our grade. She’s blonde but she’s not dumb. She’s been playing violin since forever. My musical ability is nothing compared to hers. She got accepted into Con High but she didn’t go because she didn’t think it was such a big deal. She didn’t want to be stuck with a bunch of music freaks. It really annoyed her parents, they think she’s abandoning her whole future but it hasn’t affected her at all. She isn’t really into the classical violin music and has her own unique style.

The period bell just went, yay, we have History now. I can’t wait to hear from you. I can finally concentrate knowing that this letter is all written. I’ll just drop it in the box at the office on my way to class. Ok, I really have to go now; Kate and Jessie are physically dragging me away. Write soon! Bye!

Serenity Smith

-----------------------------------------------Wednesday 15th Feb

Hey,

This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever done. I’m writing a letter to a complete stranger because my friend said I should. You could be a stalker or something and here I am, sitting innocently in History, not knowing what I might be getting myself into. I could get raped or murdered and no-one would know. Knowing my luck, I’m probably writing to a complete psycho maniac. I really don’t like this idea. People don’t know how dangerous this is. Whatever happened to the ‘don’t ever talk to strangers’ rule that was drummed into our heads when we were little? The teachers should check out the guys’ backgrounds and stuff. Do you have a criminal record? You know you’re not meant to have a criminal record if you’re under 18, it could severely affect you future career. If it goes on you school records, it could damage you chances of getting into a good uni. If you have a criminal record, some countries won’t let you in. so you better watch out. The teachers at our school are so lame. They just randomly give you a number and “yeah, here you go, write to them” and here I am, being the idiot that I am, writing to you when I first thought, “Like I’d do that”. I am so stupid. Why am I even bothering to write to you? I’m gonna stop writing now. No, now. I hate this, I really do. Why did I put my name down on the list? Great, I’m talking to myself. Spectacular. I’m not only putting myself at potential risk of getting raped or murdered but I’m also crazy. Fantastic.

I’m sorry, I have to go now, I need to find myself a psychiatrist.

Kate.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
J. Kate, what are you doing?
K. Well, look who’s passing notes now?

J. What? Oh. Anyway, what are you doing?

K. I’m writing to my stupid pen pal

S. This is not stupid. It’s a great idea.

K. We’re talking to complete strangers. Having no idea who the are, possibly putting ourselves in danger.

S. Katy, we don’t have to meet them.

K. So? I’m not writing back. There are some pretty smart people out there that could track us down just by our handwriting or something. I’ve already told mine too much. I told him my name’s Kate and he knows I go to St. Matilda’s Ladies College. Now he’s going to go through the whole of year 9 and find out all the Kate’s.

J. But Katy, your name isn’t Kate, it’s Kathleen.

K. He could still track me down. It’s not completely impossible

S. But it’s not exactly probable either.

J. So what did you write to him?

K. Nothing much. I didn’t give too much info about myself

S. Katy, you are way too suspicious you know?

J. Well, what about you Serenity? What did you write about? To your pen pal person, I mean.

S. Nothing. I just told him about myself

K. YOU DID NOT!! He could—

S. I know, put me in danger or something but honestly, it’s not as if I’m going to tell him everything about me

K. Just as well

J. I think you both should get back to work now, in case the teacher sees us again.

K. well look who’s gone all proper on us.