On Monday, February 09, 2004
he received a letter from the fictional protagonist of one his favorite novels, Jurgis Rudkus, of The Jungle. "Dear Pete," wrote Jurgis, "your letter concerned the nature of despondency as a primary theme in human experience. You wondered whether despair is inevitable, if indeed hopelessness is the only sane response to a callous, brutal world. Let me assure you, my dear reader, that your modern day woes and vicissitudes are but trifles compared with those I've known. You have never starved, nor froze, you have never known hard labor. I came to this country a poor Lithuanian who spoke no English, with eleven compatriots including my teenage fiance. It was not the land of opportunity I'd hoped for. I believed that the strength in my back and the willingness to work would secure my future. I quickly learned the cruelty of industry. My world is completely foreign to you, you with your cozy college education and hours of reading and music making. At what cost, Pete, at what cost?"