PhilaPlace

First Comes Letters, then Comes Love

2400 South Alder Street

Rita is one of the oldest and perhaps mildest-tempered members of our block. I talk with her from time to time when she's sitting on her steps. She usually likes to ask about my wife and ask if we have any kids yet. On a couple occasions, I asked her how she met her husband who had died only a few years ago. She tells me that when she was a teenager asomeone her mother knew was looking for a penpal for her son, who had gone off to serve in the war (WWII). Rita, apparently didn't know the young man or at least they had never met, but she began to write to him. They traded letters during the time he was away. When he returned home, they finally met in person and of course you know the rest of the story. They were married, for over 50 years and lived most of that time on our street. They had a few children and several grandchildren.