There was an asthmatic kid in It, but I can't remember the 'psych'ing someone into breathing' part.

I think it was Cujo, Theodosia.

The letter was written by Island!Sawyer when he was a kid. Island!Sawyer is not actually named Sawyer, but has taken on the name (Sawyer) of the guy who screwed Island!Sawyer's mother, then stole money from Island!Sawyer's father, resulting in said father committing murder-suicide. The kid we saw tonight didn't have to write any letters, because Island!Sawyer didn't go through with the scam on the woman and her husband ... because of the kid who reminded him of himself as a kid and reminded Isand!Sawyer of the hate he had for the real Sawyer, whose role he would have played in this kid's life.

Yes?

Later, Sawyer turns up at the caves, and Jack punches him a couple of times, then lets him go.

One of the nice bits about that scene was that Jack winced and grabbed the shoulder he dislocated last week (yesterday in island time) after punching Sawyer. Of course he then hit Sawyer again with the same arm.

Yeah, not much to be sympathetic about there.

I kind of think of it as an addiction. He became the man he was hunting, lost his own identity...oh fuck, I'm going to love Sawyer cause I'm obsessed with identity themes...anyway, he found himself conning people and he couldn't stop. He definitely loved it cause, hey, money, but deep down, there was that self-loathing. I'm not explaining this right and I don't have the time to do the analysis, but I think it's really cool.

I also found Sayid's angst interesting. Another case of not being pleased with what you've discovered inside yourself.

Also, Jack is a doctor. He may have lost his license or been sued for malpractice, but the man is a doctor. He's got that sense of duty to save lives even when they're people everyone wants to die, like Shannon and Sawyer.

I really liked this episode.

Yes?

Yes.

Oh, I can't believe I forgot to mention the magical blinvisible peanut butter! Also, I left out most of the flashbacks, so an addendum:

Sawyer was trying to scam this couple (the woman he was sleeping with in the first flashback, and her husband), using someone else's money (I wasn't clear on how that worked), which is significant because he let the couple keep the suitcase of cash overnight so that they'd trust him, but the dude whose money it was didn't like that idea very much, and threatened Sawyer with some Not Very Nice Things if he didn't get his money back by noon the next day, plus 50% more. Sawyer explained that part of his scam was to seduce the woman and get her to think the get-rich-quick investment was her idea (hence, Sawyer "accidentally" letting her see the suitcase full of money).

Oh yeah, and the note. When he told Kate he'd give her the inhalers for a kiss, and she was appalled, she confronted him about the note he was carrying around, and she said "You keep pulling it out and reading it, and I know it must mean there's a little bit of human decency in you somewhere," so he took it out and had her read it him, and it said (paraphrasing): "Dear Mr. Sawyer, you slept with my mom and my dad found out and killed her, and then he killed himself, and if I ever find you I'm going to kill you too."

Notes:

"Sawyer" had an incredible back story. I almost have some sympathy for the prick, now.

Buffy's Mom died of a brain problem. When she tries to sell me headache medicine, it disturbs me.

"Sawyer's" girlfriend/mark called him Sawyer, because he was already into the dissociated state where he was assuming a persona, and that is the name he gave her.

Captain Falafel is going on a spirit quest. I dig this.

Imaginary peanut butter tastes better than actual peanut butter, sans milk.

Dude.

I have actual peanut butter.

And milk.

Be right back.

Imaginary peanut butter tastes better than actual peanut butter, sans milk

That scene was more convincing than any other in this episode. I adore DM.