Last Letter to My Sister Jessica

This was the last letter my father wrote to one of his children. This letter to my my sister Jessica was dated January 7, 1995, just eight days before his death. She received it within a day or two after his death.

I can’t help but think he would have written quite a different letter had he know it would be his last. Maybe not.

Peter J. Vorzimmer
12, Martingale Close
Cambridge, Cambs.,
ENGLAND CB4 3TA
( (0223) 357833
                                                             

January 7. 1995

Dear Jessica,

      One of these days you're going to have to face up to the consequences of your own actions; and that confrontation, painful as it is sure to be, should result in some small incremental addition of maturity. Self-pity is a useless manifestation.  Your mother, although she is the last to preach the ways of independence and self-sufficiency, nevertheless is not thrilled to have a 22½ year old daughter still living at home and still a year from finishing college and still not sufficiently mature to give promise of future mature judgements or who will be entering a working, self-supporting world-in-recession showing, despite above-average intelligence, that she's not yet found those talents that will enable her to begin a relatively challenging, enjoyable working life.

      Too much concentration on honing those skills which will enable you to manipulate others into providing for you, are inadequate to a reality in which adversity has insisted on proving productive skills.  Those, like working adults and vets, who have gone to college at a later stage in life, generally do much better and, if not too old, generally get the jobs. They know how their education relates to their future employment!

      $600 per month is a high rent for Houston.  College dorms abound and, although they leave much to be desired, are generally passable. They allow you to save money for more tangible uses.  I lived 1½ years in the dorms and 2 yrs. in such shared places as reconverted 2-car garages, seedy ex-motel apartments, etc.  I drove an old, gas-guzzling Buick which made me a bit of a laughing stock, but I got but 2 tickets while in college (and they were for going just slightly over the speed limit on the California Coast Highway which I drove about 40x a year!)

      You are paying a bit of a price now for turning your back on your father for your own psychic comfort.  Not sharing your educational dreams or consulting with me in any way on that head, has cost you more than one extra year--and still I'm not consulted!