Mark Dunn - Ella Minnow Pea

How are you set with rations? I will soon have to miss one meal every sun-to-sun. Are you giving thought to moving to Town?

I may wish to go with you.

Write soon.

Georgeanne Towgate

PS. The painting was mine. It pleases me that you wish to hang it in your home! I will paint you more.

NOLLOPVILLE

Wetty, Onomatopoeia 25

Mrs. Mittie,

Where are you? You are not home when I go to your portal. When I ring, I note no movement within your house. Have you gone to Town? Have you gone to the States?

I am apprehensive. Am I now alone?

Georgeanne

NOLLOPTON

Thuringio, Otalgia 26

Sweet Tassie,

They will not let me into the prison to see you. I have spent the entire postnoon, all the early hours ensuing my arrival in town, waiting. Waiting here on the prison’s visitors’ lawn to see you.

Waiting.

Waiting.

They tell us nothing. (Will they even give this letter to you?) It is very upsetting. I want you to grasp how greatly I love you. I won’t try to learn why you sent the threats. They push us all to the point where we say things, operate in ways that are not at all as we really are.

Were anything to happen to you, what then?

With all my love ,

Mother

SOMEWHERE IN NOLLOP

Satto-gatto, Ottoman Ruler 28

To Tassie’s Mother Mittie,

My guess is that you are now with your sister, so I am routing this letter to her house. I am here in Nollop. (A stowaway, an illegal alien. I have spent the last 24 hours in nail-nipping intrigue!) All to see the one I love. To help the one I love. I am aware that they have put her in prison, though she will not stay there long. I will see to it. Wish me well.

Truly yours ,

Nate

[Upon the Minnow Pea kitchen table]

NOLLOPTON

Sunshine, O Tempora! 29

Ella,

While you were at the prison, attempting with your Aunt Mittie yet again to get in to see Tassie, men who were sent here to see me got themselves into our own sorry impregness with little struggle at all. Apparently, they were sent to interrogate me — the grilling pertaining to the now exanimate anti-high-priestal movement. Unhappy with my initial responses, they grew instantly perpy when I soon let slip an illegal letter. What enormous toothy grins! What mouth-enamel! You see, I gave them reason to transport me. To Pier Seven. Toss me right onto the emigrant trawler. No more Mum. One less agitator. (I am an agitator!) My leave happens very soon. As soon as I am through with this epistle to you.

It’s a weeping shame. Why, I am not even given enough time to gather my things! All my possessions, your Pop’s possessions are yours now, I suppose. Preserve them. Preserve our memory. I wish you to stay. You must stay.

Maintain the struggle. In our name. In our honor.

(I am so sorry that they will not permit me to see you prior to weighing moor. Give your Aunt Mittie a huge hug with my name on it. Tassie, as well.)

Until we meet again, sweet Ella.

With love always ,

Your Mum

NOLLOPTON

Sunshine, Overgarment 29

Mother, Ella:

You two must stop whiling your postnoons near the prison gates. They will not let you in to see me. Go now. There are things to attain elsewhere. You’re aware, right? The things I mean?

Love ,

Tassie

(This is the last time I will terminate a letter in this manner now that “V” is soon to leave us. A new letter goes. So what else is new?)

Th* * ui** * r* wn* ox** mps o** r the la* y** g

[Slipped under the Minnow Pea front door]

NOLLOPTON PRISON NOLLOPTON

Toes (Halloween), Oompahpah 31

Miss Pea:

Man was here. Young man. Southern U.S. While you were home. Got your relation. Got your Aunt. I let him get that Tassie — that angel girl — let him steal her, pure truth! I must sign paper saying this — per authorities. They were here — the authorities. They put me to signing this paper saying what happen.

Anyway, you got no reason to return to this prison anymore. Seeing that she is no longer here. They will put eye to your house, though. Might they show up there — Tassie-girl, your aunt, young Ameri-man. My guess, though, is that those three are gone-gone — set sail I’m sure to the States. Anyway, this is the thing: you no got to return.

Guess what? I go to the lash. A sentry who lets a prisoner go, he gets the lash, gets the whole nine-tail-lam. It’s worth it, though. To see that sweet, pretty girl release! Hurrah!

Yours truly ,

Sentry William P.

HALLOWEEN

Ella—

I am no longer in prison. Nate is the reason. He got us (Mother, me). We are on our way to the States. My horseman-gallant in shining armor! I wish you were with us. Then again, it is important too that you remain in Nollop. Now rests almost solely upon you Enterprise 32. You will triumph, we are sure. Our hearts, our prayers are with you.

Tassie

PS. I am trusting that the young shrimper we met in the north lagoon will get this letter to you. He was on his way to Nollopton to sell his haul. As a result, this letter may smell slightly shrimpish.

[Posted on the front door of the home of a woman who wears an orange hat]

NOLLOPTON

Wetty, Nosegay 1

Woman in pretty orange hat:

My name is Ella. I saw you yesters, rummaging in the rear — that shut Italian restaurant on Main. No got to rummage. There are plenty eats in Wally’s store at Eighth meets Elm. (Are you a shrimp eater?) Wally, I hear, is a humane man. He is rationing eats — they will last longer this way. No money? No got to worry. We who are still here will help one another. I want to meet you. See me tonight?

I use to possess relations — my mother, my papa, my Aunt Mittie, her she-heir Tassie. Gone now. All those near to me, gone.

I am alone. Perhaps you are alone too?

See me tonight? My home: 4 houses east. I got stew tomatoes!

Ella

[Posted on the Minnow Pea front door]

NOLLOPTON

Thirsty, Notaphily 2

Ella,

Happy to get your letter. We possess a sense sometimes we are the only ones still here. We will see you not tonight. Tomorrow night, yes? I insist, though: my home. Little one — Penny — she is ill. She perhaps not so ill tomorrow, although she ought to stay in a little longer. We were not rummaging, we must say. We thought there was gas. Must get gas into our generator. How is your power? They supply us only one hour in the morning now. No one remaining at the power plant to man operations there.

Wally is a humane man, you are right. He is helping us in this trying time. We must all help one another.

Tanya T.

(the woman in the pretty orange hat)

NOLLOPTON

Satto Gatto, No-trump 4

Tanya,

What a sweet time I was shown at your house last night! It was so pleasant meeting your spouse. It was a pleasure too, meeting your girl Penny. I am happy that she is nearly well.

I was also happy to meet Mannheim, also his young assistant Tom, although not please to learn that the institute is no longer open. Nothing is open any more, is this true? Tom tells me that the state operates now only to relate the next letters to omit. There are no other magisterial assertions. The thug-uglies arrest, thrash — then expel. The high priests generate their alpha-elisions, then return to their lairs to eat what tasties were put there, while praying to Nollop, paying homage to Nollop, stooping, prostrating, salaaming to Nollop. Ignoring all humanity in their Nollop-apotheosis.