STEVE LEVINE
United States
Postal Stationery

JANUARY, 2009

MATTERS OF LIFE AND (NEAR) DEATH

              Written on January 28, 2009

Dear Friends & Collectors,

     On January 17, 2009 I checked myself in to the hospital.  Seems that unlike most normal people (who catch appendicitis at an early age) I waited until the age of 60 to round out my childhood.

     It was atypical; instead of building up slowly in pain the damned thing just popped...or perforated, as they call it.

     An odd thing, for a stamp dealer to have a "perforated" appendix.

     This was no laparoscopic job; it was an old-fashioned, Panama Canal-sized trench in my stomach...and right now, it feels like the boats are still steaming...though in my case, it's North/South, and not East/West, like the real canal.

     SO, I'm not dead (though on a scale of 1-100 I probably pushed in into the 90's), but I'm not exactly bouncing around here with energy.  I'm on pain killers and a bit foggy.

     I hope to pick things up in a few days.  I did purchase a few items before the incident, and they'll be up....somewhere....soon.

     I have some pending business with a few of you...wantlists, layaways, orders....it will all be taken care of as soon as I can.

     I'm not sure what changes I may have to make in the way I do business, but I'll worry about that later.

     Thank you for your patience.

     Best Regards,

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