Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

To the person who did this:

Aw! Come on! Why did you have to do that to me? I am the little shack on the shore at the foot of Skiff avenue. I am owned by the Bangs family. They have always been so good to me. They decorate me with a Christmas wreath and nice greens in my window box. Then when the warm weather comes they put flowers in my window box and hang the shell wreath on my door. They always tell me about the nice things people have to say about me. I guess people like to see me. I know because I often see folks taking pictures of me and I sometimes see artists painting pictures of me. That always pleases me.

Then you had to come along and tear the shells off one half of my wreath. That really hurt! Mrs. Bangs is now working hard to mend it and she will soon have it back on my door.

I think you may be the same person who did something awful to me a few months ago. Someone smashed my window, frame and all. That nice man, Dr. Tuck, made a brand new one for me and put it up. I liked that! But I wish I knew why you do these things.

I just wish you would go to Mrs. Bangs and tell her what you did and that you are sorry. She won’t get mad, I know. But she will tell you how much other people like to see me and perhaps if you stopped and thought about it, then you wouldn’t do these things.

You know, it is really nice to think about other people and their feelings. I just wish that someone who knew you did this would tell you about this letter and then you could go see Mrs. Bangs. I know you would really feel better about it all if you did that. And so would I.

The Shack a.k.a. Dorothy K. Bangs

Vineyard Haven