Para kay

Ruth

Leeds · 2015

PasasalamatPampublikong liham

Isang pampublikong liham. Hinayaan ng sumulat na mabasa ito ng kahit sino.

Palatandaan

In my first week in this country you saw me shivering at the bus stop in a cotton kameez, and wrapped your own scarf round my neck.

Ruth, nobody had told me English winters were wet as well as cold.

I stood at that bus stop in a thin kameez and new trainers, nineteen and pretending to be fine, and you looked at me for a whole minute before you unwound the brown scarf from your own neck and put it round mine. When I tried to give it back you said, you'll need it more than me, love, and got on your bus. I still have it. I have lived here eleven years now, and every new student I meet shivering at the station in October gets a warm word and a coat recommendation from me. It's your scarf, really. I'm only passing it on.