Letter to Bryan 7/20/99

Dear Bryan,

I received your beautiful letter yesterday and I think you

did get it just right. And I think you are a handsome devil

even if you do look like me! I would love to see you when

you are in Metropolis of the Deep South and would like to

invite you to stay with us. From what I have read you have

turned out to be a remarkable young man and this is a very

happy and joyous occasion.

I too have thought often about you over the years - certainly

every April 1st and many times in between. It is just incredible

to hear from you and I so look forward to getting to know you.

I wonder who will have more questions? Or if either one of us

will be able to get a word in edgewise. There is so much to

share I think I will just leave it for when you come.

I do want to update you on a few things. I am no longer

married to Mr. In-the-Wrong-Place-at-the-Wrong-Time -

it didn't work out but we parted on pretty good terms.

(he has one of the cats) But I am very happily married to

my soulmate Gapetto and we are hoping to start a family

of our own. I don't have an other children (yet). I do have

a chocolate lab who may as well be my child - that's a

picture of her that I have attached. I'd send you one of

me but don't have one at work.

You and Melanie are both very welcome in our

home and Gapetto and I would love to have you

stay with us if you feel comfortable with that.

We have a big old house in Mayberry which is about

6 miles from downtown Metropolis of the Deep South

and is a great little town. We are busily renovating

it and would like to show it off to you. You'll be the

first people to see our new kitchen

Bryan, you have given me a great gift along with your

parents. Contacting me and meeting feels so good

to me - it completes something started so long ago

and it starts something wonderful and new. In my

wildest dreams I didn't dare hope for such a wonderful

opportunity. I look forward to hearing from you and

seeing you. Please let me know your travel plans and

dates you might arrive if you can.

Love,

Merrily

[Wasn't it Lawrence Welk who always said wonderful, wonderful?]

The Parents Response (1991)

[enclosed photograph]

Lawyer for Parents of my Birth Son

Attorney at Law

January 30, 1991

Dear Ms. Merrily:

The parents of the child you gave birth to eleven years ago have asked me to make their initial response to your letter of December 1990. I know that you understand the emotional impact that it has had on them: you anticipated it in your letter. They would like for you to know, however, that they appreciate your feelings. They have been continuously grateful for the gift you gave them.

Their son is healthy, strong, creative, and exceptionally bright. He is as perfect and as beautiful now as when last you saw him. Does he look like you? Yes, the resemblance is remarkable.

In return for the information they are giving you, Bryan's parents would like to know more about you. What is your Social Security number? Does Mr. In-The-Wrong-Place-at-the-Wrong-Time know about their son? May they continue to communicate with you? Would you be willing to authorize their access to your medical records at Birth Hospital?

Anticipating your response, I have enclosed a medical information release form which I would like for you to sign and return to me in the enclosed envelope. Please let me know how you feel about this letter; bridges must be carefully built to avoid harm to those that use them.

Yours truly,

Mr. Lawyer for Parents of my Birth Son

Leaving a trail (1990)

Mr. and Mrs. Parents of My Birth Son,

You don't know me but you know of me..

My name is Merrily Down the Stream and I am the birth mother

of your son. I certainly don't want to frighten you - it has taken

me a long time to get up the nerve to even attempt to write

this letter. I hope I can do an adequate job of explaining

things so you won't be worried.

I would like you to know that I have never regretted what I

did when I was nineteen and I am grateful to you for taking

him and loving him and making him your own.

I just turned 31 in November and I find myself thinking

about him and wondering - is he OK? Does he look like me?

Are his eyes blue like mine? Is he creative? I don't even

know if he is alive or what his name is. I don't want to enter

into his life - if that is something that ever happens that

will be because he chooses it. I would just like to know for

my own peace of mind. Until very recently I always thought

of him as a baby - it's hard to imagine that there's an

11 year old boy walking around somewhere that I gave

birth to - a person!

I've been married for four and a half years and am getting

around to thinking about having children of my own. Maybe

that's why I am finally writing you. I will never try to contact

him. If he ever asks about me I hope you'll tell him that I

loved him with all my might when I carried him and when

I saw him in the nursery he was absolutely perfect and

beautiful and I knew I couldn't give him what I felt he needed.

I would love it and be so grateful if you would let me know

about him - a picture would be fantastic to have and anything

you would like to tell me about him would be greatly appreciated.

I thought maybe you would like to know something about me.

I've lived in Atlanta for 10 years now but am originally from

Minnesota, where I grew up in a big Irish-Catholic family of

7 kids - 3 boys and 4 girls! I am a graphic designer (I enclosed

a press release with my picture - its 2 years old) and am

planning to go out on my own as a freelance designer probably

in April - eventually I hope to have a design studio with real

live employees! I married a wonderful man named Mr. In-The-

Wrong-Place-At-The-Wrong-Time when I was 26 - he is a

designer too - and we have 2 great kitties.

I hope that I have not frightened you - I wish your family

all the best and send much love to you all. Please give your son

a kiss for me and have a wonderful Christmas season.

My address is:

Merrily Down the Stream

Fabulous Deal of a duplex

Atlanta

Merrily