I was just wondering if there have been many cases where inmates just stop writing for no particular reason?
Or do u think most will at least say goodbye with an explanation in a last letter?

Hi Canadiangirl,
I don't think that there are ever any guarantees that someone will continue writing. I think that this sudden stopping happens, both ways. Some people do it to inmates, also. And, I'm sure that it hurts no matter what side of the wall you are on. It isn't very considerate, but there are all kinds of people, in this world, and some of them just weren't brought up right.
On the other hand, you PP may have suffered a serious accident or illness. You just never know, and hopefully, you will find out some day. I'm sorry if this has happened to you, and I hope that you can move on, if it has. Take care.

__________________
Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly.

Cowards are cruel, but the brave love mercy.

Hey Xray,
It was just something in general that I was curious about, but so far my pals seem to be alright now. Hopefully, the ones I have will be faithful pals! But you're right, it can happen on either side with anyone...I would never stop writing someone no matter what though.

Good for you, CanadianGirl. You were brought up right. :-) My own PP has had people do that to her, just write one to three times and then quit. But, she was fortunate enough to have several other friends, so it didn't hurt so bad. But, if you have no-one, and someone was to do that to you, I can see how it would be devastating. I would never do it either. Take care and happy writing. :-)

__________________
Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly.

Cowards are cruel, but the brave love mercy.

I have a pal who is going up for parole soon and aside from his up coming parole hearing and meeting and marrying a lady he quit writing. Cold turkey, no notice at all.

I never gave up. Finally He wrote me and he said that he was afraid to b/c he didn't want to lose me as a pal, and he didn't write for so long that he was afraid to write back.

He then explained to me how several guys he has known over the years have gotten into a rut, or emotionally worn out and stop writing their pals and then they fall so far behind they just never write back.
In fear of how the pen-pal on the outside would react.

__________________

William Jennings Bryan

Yes, I hate to admit, I've had numerous pals just never writing back. It's just down right rude, I mean, you invest so much time into writing these letters (I write books!!!) & sometimes I even wrote when sick, because I didn't want them to go without mail. The last two, I am worried about because both are in bad health, and haven't heard from either of them in over a year. My short monthly notes I STILL write them, haven't been returned to me, and even calling the prisons doesn't help. At least not in my case. So, just stopping is wrong. I'd never do it to my pals.....don't guess everyone has manners.

My pal told me in his last letter that he had just dropped a couple of pals and was about to drop a couple more - he was writing them all goodbye letters and explaining why he wasn't writing to them any more. I thought that was very respectful of him - but he is unlike any person I have ever met before...

Hello 'thewylie'
That's nice of your pp - I hope that if any of the ones I write to ever wanted to stop writing for whatever reason I'd at least get a good bye letter with an explanation. Of course, I'd be sorry, but at least a good bye letter shows respect! - if its possible as I know in some situations perhaps a pal might be unable to do it because of something serious for whatever reason.

Hey "canadiangirl"
My pal certainly is a wonderful person. If you ever have a situation where someone just stops writing, then they probably weren't worth writing in the first place. I have spent so much of my life wondering about the answers to things that have happened (lost friends, boys not calling etc) and have come to the conclusion that there is more to life then trying to find the answers and spending time thinking about them. If someone doesn't write back then just move on - you'll be a happy person for doing so.
Good luck!

Couldn't resist posting my story on this here... Not sure of an easy way to explain this but here goes... After writing to my first ever PP and getting a reply I wrote my second and never got a reply after that.. However, I did get a letter back from my first PP's friend saying my PP passed on my name to them and i subsequently wrote back... i sent THIS letter about 3 weeks ago and am currently waiting for a reply... When I recieved the friends letter I was a bit perplexed cause I knew I hadn't wrote to that and the first thing that went through my mind was that something had happened to my first PP... It wasn't until I read the letter that I found out my first PP found someone else closer to write to... This filled me with mixed emotions... I was happy they found someone to write to and I was glad they passed me on to a friend, but at the same time I was upset that they didnt write me personally to tell me... Now I dont know if my first P told the friend to mention it or not but I thought I at least deserved a letter saying they weren't writing again, but then, that's just my opinion.