Dear Kevin,

I hope you got home over break to fix the computer, but if you didn’t because you were working on your studies, I understand. Dad developed foot problems and is returning home Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. I sent an e-mail to Geoff, but I’d like you to check with him to make sure he received it.

Dad will arrive at San Jose on an American Airlines flight from Tokyo (Narita Airport). It’s the only flight from Tokyo that day, so there shouldn’t be any trouble figuring it out. I am going to stay and finish the trip, but I think mainly I’ll hole up somewhere inexpensive, which I just arranged today.

Mom

Dear Dad,

I got Mom’s e-mail about you coming home so hopefully you’ll be there to read this. I wasn’t able to get back to Livermore over fall break, but I did get to go to Las Vegas with some friends for a couple of days. It was a lot of fun. If you could wait until Thanksgiving as far as the computer is concerned, that would be great. I have research and work to do here over the weekends, I really don’t know when I could get away. I haven’t got my flight back home yet, but I’ll get you the flight information as soon as I do. I’ll see you in a couple of weeks.

–Kevin

Kevin,

I am very disappointed that you chose to live it up in Las Vegas with your hedonist friends rather than get some work done at school. I imagine all of your fellow students who actually have some hope of attending a decent graduate school took advantage of the extra study time offered them by days off.

The computer has been virtually unusable for the last couple of weeks. I want to just give up and get another one, but your mother thinks you can fix it. This is driving me crazy so I’m still willing to fly you up some weekend to get it working, but I know you’re going to be too busy partying with your friends and wasting my money to want to bother with it.

This will be your main project when you’re here for Thanksgiving though, it’s about time you earned your keep. Buy your plane tickets ASAP. They’ll only get more expensive and the good ticket deals will go fast. If you wait too long and end up paying more than reasonable, I’ll make you pay for it yourself. That should inspire you to look for a good price.

Your mother wants you to send your grandmother an e-mail. She’s been asking about you.

Dad