pls i want money n books bye.

That was the entire content of the email.

For some of you, perhaps that reminds you of the emails you get from your college-aged children, although perhaps with better orthography. But no, someone in a central African country took all of the trouble to write this lovely message and press "send".

It might interest you further to know that I have received similar requests from that same African country, that same city, and yes, even that same PO box before. Different names, of course (or not). I can understand that a number of people might share the same post office box to cut costs, and I can appreciate that since I sent one person a lovely letter and little booklet, all of their friends and relatives and strangers in the street would also want to benefit from the magic "give-me" link in the internet sky. But really.

And yet I can't quite just ignore the requests. Because the booklet I've chosen to send is one that emphasizes the worth and value of all mankind. Even if these internet leeches are simply selling the booklets on the street, someone somewhere must be reading them, right? And certainly, this world could use a bit more teaching on the worth and value of all mankind.

How often is it that you have people pleading for the message you most desire to advance?

And so I swallow the ire the rude requests provoke, and I write a lovely little letter, and address it to a name I can't pronounce at a post box number I nearly have memorized by now, and include the little booklet I hope they look at long enough to read.

Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee.

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