NOTE: If this looks familiar, that's because this was originally in the regular Hanging Around section. But it's a "Bobby Writes To You" story, so I've moved it here.

The Letters I Love Most

Getting fan mail is not new to me.  What is new is the feelings I have about it.   Back when I was being seen every week on "Shindig," I was really a different person than I am today.  Fame was a new thing to me and to tell you the truth, I was pretty conceited!  That's a hard thing to admit, but it's the honest truth.  Because I was that way, I was more interested in how many fan letters I received instead of what the fans were saying.

I was "on top" then, but it wasn't long before I went shooting straight for the bottom.  After "Shindig" the letters began to trail off, until I would only receive a few a week, these from some very devoted fans in different parts of the country.  And the same girls would write to me, but I never even answered their letters because I didn't feel I could spare the time for "fans."

DIFFERENT TODAY - How times change!   Two years passed after "Shindig" when I wasn't working so hard.  I had decided to turn whatever talents I had to acting and it was tough finding parts at first.  Who wanted to hire a singer-turned-actor with very little experience?   It was during this time that I realized what I had passed up. I had shunned the love and devotion of true fans and it was too late to do anything about it!

It's something I'll always regret; and so many times I've thought "If I only had it to do over again."  Boy, would things be different!  Little did I know that I would have a second chance!  It was then and there that I decided that I would try for another chance.  I worked harder than ever at getting acting jobs.  I lost, through much self analysis, my conceited attitude.  I began to really appreciate the people that were willing to help me.

SELF PROMISE - It was then and there that I made a promise to myself.  I promised that if I ever had the opportunity to pay the fans back I would do everything in my power to do so.  For some lucky reason, I now have the chance.  Fans have fallen in love with the character of Jeremy and through Jeremy then have become interested in me.  I can honestly say, this has made me happier than anything else in this world.  I never knew that I would ever receive so many fan letters!  To be completely truthful I get more than I could ever read.   But I also read every letter that I possibly can.  Sometimes it worries me that someone's letter will not get my attention, but then I think rather than worry I should spend my time reading and answering just as many as I can.

FAVORITE LETTERS - The letters I love most are not the "I'm madly in love with you" type.  These letters often scare me because I'm afraid some girl will be so in love with me that she will shut out her friends and her chances of meeting some groovy guy right in her own home town.   The ones I treasure are letters that let me know that I have brought some sort of happiness into someone's life.

I feel I have a great responsibility to my fans.  This is why I was so excited when Tiger Beat asked me to write this monthly column.  I know I can never answer personally every letter I get and in this column I can write to many of you at once.   It worries me sometimes to think that people are really watching everything I do and say.  When I get mad at something, I get mad at myself too, because I'm not setting a good example.  It's in this column that I hope to relate to you some of the good vibrations that go on inside this head of mine.

SPECIAL MARKINGS - It's fun to see letters set apart from all the others, when someone draws a unique design on their envelopes or put a peace sign on or something like that.  I have always been impressed by creativity and before I even open the envelope I know that the girl who is writing wanted me to know that she has something special going for her.

Since I do get so much mail, the letters that are short and say something nice or cute are the most fun.  My mind almost turns off to long, long letters because it just reminds me that there are so many others to read, so I often have to set them aside.

I just want you to know that it's a constant source of joy to me to read your wonderful letters.  I hope that I am bringing you some joy and happiness and each time I read a letter from a true fan, every bit of that happiness is returned to me 100 percent!

Love to you!
Bobby