The Letter
SOMETIME LATER THAT YEAR
Dear Sam and Dolly,
I’m writing this to you now, even though I know it’s been a long time and you probably don’t want to hear from me ever again. I’m not sure if you will even read this letter.
At Triple T Ranch, we’re encouraged to make amends with those we have hurt. Every Sunday morning, we have different preachers come to the ranch to teach us that even if we have hurt others, God can forgive us.
After all this time, every time one of these preachers comes I only think of you two.
My mentor’s name here is Sam. Isn’t that crazy?
Anyways, Montana Sam has encouraged me to write you this letter, and he’s helping me with the right spelling and grammar, since I never paid much attention in school.
So I’m writing to you now to say that I am sorry.
I’m sorry for what I’ve done to you, especially to Dolly.
You never deserved to be treated with such hatefulness and violence.
Montana Sam says that violence against women is an abomination.
Growing up in foster care, I saw a lot of women getting hurt.
I didn’t like it, but it just seemed like the way things are.
I hope it doesn’t sound like I want to make an excuse for what I done. There is no room for excuses, only for me to admit my wrongs and ask for forgiveness. If you can find it in your heart.
I first wanted to ask you, Dolly, to please forgive me. You were so kind to me, and I often think about how I had never been treated so kindly by a woman before you.
And the next thing I wanted to ask is probably never going to happen, but I wanted to know if Sam could ever find it in your heart to forgive me too. I know you love Dolly a lot and I hurt her, and you have no reason to ever let that go.
I didn’t know until later on that we were cousins. I’d never had a cousin before, or any blood relatives before Hank took me in. I wish you had taken me in first, and none of that would’ve happened the way it did.
I like it here. It’s cold, but this place is so beautiful.
I’m learning so much about ranching. It turns out I’m good with roping and with horses.
Now that I’ve learned to ride, I can see why you love Moonlight and Redford Ranch so much.
I hope I can stay working on this ranch until I’m old.
I hope I can keep learning better how to treat others.
My brother is getting bigger. It’s awesome to have a brother. His mom is a really nice lady, and she told me we can pretend she is my aunt. I wanted to say thank you to the Redford brothers for buying her this house up here. Can you tell them that for me?
If you’d like to write me back, you can send it to the address on the envelope to the Triple T Ranch. I hope I hear from you soon, but even if I don’t, I just needed to let you know that I was sorry.
-Stanley Harken