The sad part is that it does. Last year I've sent several letter wish weren't answered for several months. Some of those I tried to contact to at least know if it had all arrived, but most of the times I wasn't lucky. Meanwhile I even sent second and third presentation letters, thinking about post services and such. Some were answered, yes - but, several months later, as if it had only passed a few days, making me feel instantly a bit lost and distant from that pen pal. And it does happen. It's a good thing to keep in touch with our pen pals.