Letters to Tess: A COVID-19 Story

Saturday May 2nd, 2020

Dear Tess,

Hi. How are you? I'm writing to check up on you. I hope everything is well and you're safe, because this pandemic is crazy!

So, what have you been doing during quarantine? Binge-watching shows? Let me know if you have any recommendations. Maybe we can watch them together over video chat. A quarantine video chat sounds super fun. What do you say?

Me, I've mostly been doing crafts. I did some embroidery and cross-stitching. I can teach you how to if you don't know. I made a really cool peacock feather design. I'm curious to know how you're doing, so please write back soon.

Sincerely,
Nim

Sunday May 10th, 2020

Dear Tess,

You know, quarantine may suck for people, but it's great for pets! My cats love all the extra attention they've been getting. When things open up again, maybe you can come over and play with them like you used to. Then we can watch InuYasha, because that anime rocks. I heard they are making a new series about Sesshomaru and his daughter.

Today I baked some chocolate chip cookies. I saved some for you. I'll leave them outside your house just like I did with the letter I wrote for you last week. I'll tape this week's letter to the box. You can disinfect the box to be extra careful. In case you're wondering, the recipe is super simple. It only requires five ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened 
• 1 & 1/4 cups flour 
• 1 egg 
• 3/4 cups brown sugar 
• 3/4 cups chocolate chips 

Mix these in a bowl to make some dough. Then make small balls with the dough, place them on a baking tray, and bake for 15-30 minutes. Enjoy!

Your friend,
Nim

Text message/SMS 

To: Nim 

From: Tess 

 11/05/2020 

 1:26 AM 

 Nim, I don't want to sound harsh, but we aren't friends anymore. I didn't know how to respond to your first letter. I was hoping you would stop writing to me, but you didn't. Please stop sending me letters. Our friendship is over because of the decisions you made. 

 And don't think you can bribe me to talk to you with gifts. I didn't even touch those chocolate chip cookies. Don't you know friendships take more effort than that? I'm sorry you're lonely, but maybe you should've thought about that before you made such bad choices. Now stop looking for ways to contact me. 

Saturday May 23, 2020 

Dear Tess, You don't want to be friends anymore? Fine. FINE! Just know you'll never find another friend as loyal and caring as me. You may think you have it all; good looks, good grades, a social life and an impressive resume. But all your new college friends are shallow and basic with boring interests, just like you. 

This will be my last letter to you. Don't come crying back to me once you realize I'm way better than all your other friends. I'm blocking your number and deleting all your texts. Bye! 

Saturday May 30 2020 

Dear Tess, 

Okay, I'm sorry about how rude my last letter was. The truth is, you're a way better person than me. I'm just a loser. A good-for-nothing, pathetic waste of oxygen. You're better-looking, more hardworking, more popular and have way better social skills than me. There's no question that you'll be the one who's the more successful and rich one between the two of us. Right now I'm lonely with no friends, but I'm sure you get messages from people every day. Maybe not letters left on your doorstep like these, but definitely texts. And likes and comments on Instagram. 

You're right, you don't need someone like me ruining your shine. I'm stupid and ugly anyway, the complete opposite of you. 

Farewell, 

Nim 

 Text message/SMS 

To: Nim 

From: Tess 

 31/05/2020  

 2:46 AM 

This is getting creepy. Look, I'm not sure if you understand this, but this is harassment. 

 Actually, scratch that, I'm sure you understand. Because I've made myself very clear. I don't want to talk to you. I don't hate you or anything. I just want us to go our separate ways. 

 Threatening me or guilt-tripping me isn't going to work. One of my new friends who I met in my college program told me to watch out for exactly this, that the pandemic will have all sorts of toxic people from my past trying to wiggle their way back into my life. I'm not going to fall for this manipulative behavior. 

 Besides, I have too much going on right now to worry about your feelings. This pandemic has been rough for me and my family. Why should I care about you when you clearly don't care about me or my feelings and how you hurt me? Things between us can never go back to normal. Maybe the whole world will never go back to normal. 

 So, Nim? It's time to move on.

--

END

Author's note: Please give me your criticism, even if it's harsh. I intend to keep on revising this piece. Photos from Pexels.