ATTRACTIVE NUISANCE

This is the original letter I wrote to her:

Dearest Pia,

I will admit until today I have never heard of you or the Last man 2.
I saw an article in EW on your work and automatically got on my
computer to research all your artwork and in the process my curiosity
got the best of me and I have to get myself this comic and who knows my
love for comics as a young boy just may be reignited because of this
connection.  The connection I am speaking of is my beloved Black Capped
Capuchin Rolex who is going on 12 years old.  I adopted him when he was
just 2 weeks old and for reasons I won’t go into now, my circumstances
have made it possible to be able to raise him, love him, respect him,
and basically find myself in awe of his unconditional love and his
mischievous and selfish behaviors such a wild ride of emotions I
couldn’t imagine life without him.  Basically I do have a terminal
illness and though he has not "graduated" from the helping hands
society for monkeys taking care of wheelchair bound individuals, he
along with my partner refused to raise him in a cage and sadly do what
most people who adopt baby monkeys for the novel aspect and like
puppies or kittens are no longer cute are often tossed aside.  However,
dogs and cats are domesticated and sad as it may be for any animal or
pet to be refused love by not being nurtured or cared for a loving
matter. Monkeys are so much like us and need companionship the sadness
and depressing stories I have heard or seen be it on tv or heard from
members of our Simian society Chapter here in Oklahoma City is too much
for me to bear.

  Forgive me I did not intend to jump up on
some soapbox and I hope it didn’t come across to preachy for this was
not my intention, my intentions were to share a short silent video clip
I call "Deep in Darwin".  It is of Rolex on my lap just lost in thought
and one has to wonder what he or "they" all primates are thinking.  The
length of the letter was also not planned I guess my only fear was
because of the wmv attachment it would be spammed or for you unable to
view it.  So by adding my personal thoughts I hope you and or computer
will trust this clip.

Here is Rolexs my space page:

Response back from Pia herself.
Thom,

Thank
you very much for your video of Rolex, it really does make you wonder
what he’s thinking.  I was fortunate to meet my first capuchin this
past weekend and I have to say it was an experience I will never
forget. Zoonie was her name and she was very interested in my eyebrows,
she tried to pull them off which scared her handler a bit but I didn’t
mind, didn’t hurt.  She also made this wonderful face every time she
saw my husband, like she was trying so hard to understand his features.
Incredible animals.

Thanks again, and I hope you like the book.

Pia

www.thomcollins.com

http://www.thomcollins.com/weblogs/gotaidsblog.html

http://www.thomcollins.com/weblogs/barbiebitchin.html

http://thomcollins.blogspot.com/

http://www.thomcollins.com/weblogs/collinsblogg3.html

http://www.thomcollins.com/weblogs/diva.html

http://www.friendster.com/profiles/thomcollins

http://www.thomcollins.com

All I can say in my defense over the years is living with HIV and Fighting AIDS (O.I’s) on a daily basis growing older with T cells few and far between is my heart was in the right place to keep all of my Internet connections starting with the infamous for it’s time www.thomcollins.com and my ever popular AOL days back when it was not mainstream in 1994 as thompoz@aol.com.   Strange typing that handle it has been a long time.  Friends I had made through my HIV/AIDS meetings on Sundays in the AOL forums back in the mid 90’s.  Some of them found me upon leaving the world wide web scene after taking a toll on my sanity.  Soon thereafter my HIV virus I had lived with for close to 15 years from initial contact in 1983 decided it was time to "rock my world" and boy has it.  Both David and I are struggling through some very difficult times along with some very memorable life lessons learned if not gone through what I did at a certain point in my disease.  Have you ever felt like everyone is against you or what else can happen.  Sooner or later you are on your knees to your God/Higher power begging for help for you are a broken spirit and need help back into the light.  For those Contacts, Friends, and Charity work made through the years I can only be grateful and make no promises as to response.  I do try and I get really angry when carpel tunnell wont allow it or feeling nauseated from the anti viral. 
  Anyway, we will be in touch.