December 30, 2025
Dear Bill,
I hope you are doing well. I am completely well myself, busy with my daily work, and currently awaiting the publication of three articles on opium, amphetamines, and fentanyl. I hope that some of these articles will be published in January.
At this time, I would like to extend my congratulations to you and Mrs. Rita on the arrival of the New Year, and I ask God Almighty to grant you a good year filled with health and divine blessings.
Dear Bill, to let you know that you are always in my thoughts, I have sent you a package of gifts through a fellow traveler who is coming to the United States. The package includes the following:
1. Ten William L. White pins:
These pins are given to all individuals in the William L. White legions who have successfully completed treatment for smoking cessation. I personally pin these badges onto their clothing. To date, several thousand of these pins have been given to people, and they are usually worn on clothing or scarves—including my own scarf.
2. Your Watchman’s scarf:
This was sent to you as a gift. I should have done this much earlier, but since I did not have access to you, it has been sent now.
3. A handcrafted copper goblet:
This piece is handmade and decorated with turquoise stone chips, typically sourced from turquoise mines located dozens of meters underground. We also have a branch in a turquoise mine in Khorasan Province, where individuals work at depths of about one hundred meters extracting turquoise stones. Classes are held for them within the mining area.
4. The fourth gift is for Mrs. Rita, your dear wife:
This gift is entirely handmade. Apart from the lining on the back, the rest is made of silk. Weaving silk is a very difficult and delicate craft, carried out entirely by female artisans. The piece is then passed to another artist who decorates it with special sequins—again, all done by hand. Creating such works requires a great deal of time and precision. I hope this gift is acceptable to Mrs. Rita.
Wishing you and your beloved family a wonderful year ahead.
Your friend and brother on earth and in heaven,
Hossein