You probably won't believe me when I say this, but I read my email. And unless I can't figure out what the correspondent is saying because of creative spelling, I usually respond. Sometimes, it's just a "thank you" or a "take your meds." But on other occasions, the writer is so engaged and engaging, I like to initiate an epistolary relationship, which gives me enjoyment, enrichment and every now and then, material for a column.