Hello Mom and Dad, how are you?

I have been going through many hardships in the past month. After I
invested in stocks, the stock market crashed, causing me to have to sell my house and live on the
streets. I’m sorry if you have been going through this too, but I’m sure that this will end sooner or later. I
must loot and steal things such as water and food from abandoned stores.

I have also lost my job, so now I have no money to uphold what little things I have left. I wish that I had
never invested, but now I and others in America have to go through the same thing I’m going through. I
heard that in 1930, you went through a severe drought. I’m so sorry that happened, but I heard it will be
over soon. I recently discovered soup kitchens, which gives food to hobo’s like us during this depression.
I hope that this letter will find you well and back to what you were living like beforehand. Best wishes,

-Joshua Norton