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[Undated, handwritten letter from Maria Katsaris to her father, Steven A. Katsaris]
P.O. Box 893
Georgetown, Guyana
Dear Pop,
I was glad we talked the other night by phone patch because I hoped it would relieve some of your concern for me. I hope you can understand that from my perspective (being that I am 24 years old), it seemed somewhat unfair for you to be making all kinds of demands, which seemed to me threats, especially when I told you the first time we talked that I already had plans to be in Venezuela with my fiancee at the time you said you were going to come to Georgetown. I guess I didn’t explain myself that well, but over the airways, I was a little embarrased to go into a detailed explanation when you insisted on coming to see me in Venezuela where I would be with my boyfriend. I trust that now you see that I wanted to be alone with him — not that I didn’t want to see you. As I told you the other night, if you want to come to Georgetown in a few weeks, fine, I’ll see you.
However, there is one thing that really bothers me and I think its best to say it now to kind of clear the air. I heard you came to the church in San Francisco after I called you the other night. and some of the things you said there, don’t correspond to what you told me on the phone patch. You mentioned that while in Washington, you had gone to see several congresspeople about me, and this is the opposite of what you told me on the phone patch when I asked you. Also — and what really bothers me, is that you said you had contracted that guy, [Joseph] Mazor, a man who is part of the conspiracy against the church. He has a criminal
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record and is bent on destroying the church and everything liberals stand for — which is everything I stand for as well. Then there was something about you threatening to go to detectives. Maybe I got it wrong. I certainly hope so, because that kind of thing does not make for good relations between us.
I certainly do not want any bad feelings between us, and neither does the church. In fact, they thought it was my duty to reconcile differences and misunderstandings I have had with you — past and present. But I do want you to accept that as an adult, I have a right to be my own person and make decisions about my life — including my travel plans, etc. You want us to have a relationship of trust, and so do I. You expect me to trust you about your illness, but at the same time you make, what appears to [“be” crossed out] me to be threats and demands. I don’t think your motivation was bad — you were probably just worried — but please try to see it from my side as well. Anyone my age, would react, I think negatively when a parent makes those kinds of demands and seems to not understand that their child has a life of their own to lead.
Well, take care until I see you here when you and I can work out a convenient time. I’ll talk to you on the radio — I know its awkward but its the fastest means of communication.
Love,
Maria [Katsaris]
[Envelope addressed from Maria to Steven]