Barbara Berger

October 4, 2001

Dear Mr. Pinkwater:

I’m writing from my desk at the drug and alcohol treatment facility where I’ve worked for over 15 years. Needless to say, I hear a lot of funny stories (and I use that word in all of its shades of meaning). I don’t think of myself as particularly zany, however, so don’t feel compelled to post this message publicly. I have no intention of tattooing anything on myself or changing my name to honor a piece of writing however much I may like it.

I just finished listening to “Fishwhistle” for the third time since I checked it out of the library. I absolutely loved it and have my husband listening nightly while he does the dinner dishes. (Oh yeah, he works in a school for preteens with emotional problems and must be given not only a daily debriefing at the door upon arriving home, but also regular humor infusions.) Also, my 5 1/2 year old son heard a few of your tales while we were riding in the car and now approaches complete strangers with the line, “There vas a man, and he vanted to catch a trrrrain . . .He vas daft!!!” Our local library seems woefully lacking in the area of your children’s books, so we’re expanding our search.

I thank you for brightening my commute over the past couple of weeks. I was also delighted to see your byline in the “Funny Times.” Please keep writing and recording for adults, too!!

Best wishes to you and your wife.

Barbara Berger

Just remember what you've written when your 5 1/2-year-old is 15 1/2, and completely incomprehensible to you, except when he says, ""Pinkwater Rules!""