Thank you, Mr. Bill · Flushing library

Where & when

• Flushing Main Street Library · New York · United States 2004–2005 Tuesday evenings, library basement

About them then

Mr. Bill · about 45 then

The volunteer who ran the Tuesday evening English class in the library basement. Tall, stooped, with a soft Midwestern voice, a canvas bag of picture books, and a habit of writing every new word on the board twice.

Who I was then

The quiet woman at the back who copied every word into a small green notebook and never raised her hand.

Why I'm writing

To say thank you · Just hoping my words reach them

I arrived with a suitcase, a degree nobody here recognised, and about forty words of English. On Tuesdays you taught us from children's picture books and never once made us feel like children. When I finally read a whole page aloud, my voice shaking, you waited without helping and then simply said, Well, that's one page. Next week, two. I manage a small office in Queens now, and I still read picture books on Sundays.

Passed on by 6 · reached step 3 · 1 keeping an eye out

Could this letter be about you? This is me