Strangers and Friends

Regarding talking to strangers (“Letters,” May 5, June 9, June 30): While visiting Montreal six years ago, my husband and I boarded a bus to go to Quebec City only to discover we had been misdirected and rode all the way to Ottawa by mistake. The next day, to verify that we were boarding the correct bus, we asked the French Canadian in line with us where he was going. A friendship started then which exists to this day, and we have had a wonderful correspondence. He is surrogate grandfather to our grandchildren, sending them gifts for Easter and Christmas, and we share the events of our lives.

JUNE COTTER

Laguna Niguel