April 7th

Dear Dad,

I have been carrying out our plans for Mom's memorial service. I emailed you your tickets, so I hope you got them.

I've also been booking it through the eastern states, trying to experience as much of the culture out here as I can with time running so short.

It's hard to believe that in two weeks we'll be in Hawaii. I've always wanted to go and I'm really excited.

I've been organizing my teardrop today, trying to think about what I'll be able to bring to Hawaii. It's odd after a year of having such cramped space to think that I won't have all of this with me in Hawaii. Downsizing again.

I have been all through Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and now I'm in New Jersey.

I love Boston. I walked along the water, both Quincey Bay and Broad Sound. It doesn't have quite the feel of the Atlantic further south, or any of my run-ins with the Pacific.

Paul Revere's house was a fascinating stop. They had an event going on with someone playing his wife, Rachel. She was working around the house, and I saw her in the garden once as well.

She would talk to the tour groups and individuals, telling stories of everyday life. It was hilarious, but also made me happy because for all I memorized Paul Revere's Ride as a child, I never heard his wife's name or even really thought about her, and to see her honored this great while later was delightful.

I went with Ethan. I don't know if you would remember him since you only met once or twice. He lives here in Boston now, and has a scary amount of walking stamina. I like to think that I'm healthy, but he walked me right into the ground, and then I woke up the next day and he did it again.

He's explored so much of Boston, and he showed me so many places he loves. The more I imagine life after the next few weeks, the more I realize I have a few different places I could land, and the options make me happy.

Ethan also showed me Nantucket.

Do you remember reading Cheaper By The Dozen and Belles on Their Toes? I can remember us laughing ourselves silly over a campfire while you read the worn pages in the flickering light.

They're still two of my favorite books. It somehow has never dawned on me that Mr. Gilbreth was injured from the war. I thought his heart attack was a surprise, but apparently it was an expected result of his injuries.

They even bought The Shoe on Nantucket to help with his health, which I never would have picked up from reading the books.

I wonder if the kids who wrote the books did that on purpose, making it less about what killed their dad, and more about who he was, and how their family worked.

I love the story so much, but my heart gives a twinge when I think about them losing their dad like that. He was so much larger than life, and to think he was unwell that whole time.

Tonight I'm near Atlantic City. I thought about staying in the city, but it kind of creeped me out. There are plenty of cool places in New Jersey, I just am not completely convinced that Atlantic City is one of them. I did go to one of the casinos because it seems wrong to visit Atlantic City and not at least try a slot machine. I already made that mistake in Vegas.

I put in five dollars and won ten, so I quit while I was ahead and bought part of a pink chipped ice beverage with my winnings.

I was really looking forward to visiting Boston, not only because of all the beautiful history, and National Treasure jokes I could make, but because Ethan has always been one of those friends I can relax around.

He doesn't like coffee much, but he knows I'm obsessed, so he took me to a coffee shop that the locals like. It was really good, obviously freshly roasted.

Ethan also doesn't drink alcohol, but I got him to watch Cheers one night in college and we binged it for a few weeks together, so he showed me the Cheers Bar, modeled after the TV show and everything. It was pretty cool, and we stayed for almost an hour acting like complete tourists and making jokes about the show.

Then he took me to Beacon Street and the Bull and Finch Pub. I wasn't aware it was the original inspiration for the bar in Cheers, but it makes sense.

They actually changed the name from the Bull and Finch to Cheers in 2002, and even though I completely understand I will respectfully be calling it the Bull and Finch till the end of time.

I hope the preparations for Mom's memorial are going well on your end. It's been an interesting experience pulling it together between the two of us.

I'm glad to hear Deanna will be able to go with us. I know Mom and her weren't really acquainted, but she's become important to both of us and should definitely be there.

I can't wait to see you again. Only a few more weeks and we'll be traveling together. I haven't traveled with anyone in so long, and I'm not sure how I'll acclimate.

I'll try not to be too selfish.

I love you, Dad. I'm so glad to have this growing friendship we've discovered.

Bo.