So, John, your letter says you want to buy my house. A cash purchase! Today! Or soon! As soon as possible! Plus you’ll give me a fair price…..an honest offer and no hassles!

You want to buy my little place with the cute porch light? The place with the backyard that’s big (but not too big); the place with all those perennials that after several painful years of trial and error are now finally living their best lives? A place that’s cool in the summer and cozy warm in the winter and has that little secret view of the mountains?

Oh, right, you want my little plot that’s right in the middle of the best neighbors in the world, that spot on the block where plates of cookies are traded at Christmas and everyone keeps each others’ sidewalks shoveled on snowy winter days and calls out “Good morning!” during hot summer early mornings?

My home, John, is not for sale.