Dear Aaron

by Mariana Zapata

  AHall80: You’re still fine besides that?

  RubyMars: Yeah, I’m okay. I’m really grateful I didn’t move out right about now. :)

  AHall80: What’s that you tell me? Everything happens for a reason?

  RubyMars: Yeah.

  AHall80: See?

  RubyMars: Yeah, I see, pita.

  AHall80: Pita?

  RubyMars: Pain in the ass. :)

  AHall80: Heh

  AHall80: I gotta go. I’ll msg you soon.

  RubyMars: Okay bye!

  AHall80: Bye RC.

  March 27th

  AHall80: You okay?

  AHall80: I just saw your e-mail to IM you.

  RubyMars: Physically I’m fine. But I got cash from Max for his bandanas, and I also got four bolts of fabric in the mail that I know I didn’t order.

  AHall80: Oh?

  RubyMars: Don’t “oh” me. Did you send them?

  AHall80: You’re welcome, Rubes.

  RubyMars: Aaron. You didn’t have to do that!!!!!

  AHall80: I wanted to. Happy early birthday.

  RubyMars: How did you know my birthday was coming up?

  AHall80: Stalker, remember? :]

  AHall80: I told Max to look you up on Facebook.

  AHall80: You shouldn’t have your birthday on there. People can steal your identity.

  RubyMars: Apparently.

  RubyMars: ….

  RubyMars: You didn’t have to do anything for me.

  AHall80: Okay.

  AHall80: It wasn’t shit fabric, right? Max picked it out.

  AHall80: I saw him wear a Hawaiian print shirt one day…. I should’ve gotten Des to pick it out instead.

  RubyMars: No, it was great. I’ll e-mail you pictures in a second. I was so surprised. Thank you so much, Aaron. Really.

  AHall80: I figured you could make more bandanas with it… or dog sweaters or something to make you money. Thought you’d like that more than a birthday card.

  RubyMars: I like that so much more.

  RubyMars: It’s way too much. I don’t know what to say.

  AHall80: Thank you, Aaron?

  RubyMars: Har har har

  RubyMars: Thank you, Aaron! :)

  RubyMars: Really, thank you. I’ll make Aries something out of what you sent.

  AHall80: That’s not why I sent it to you.

  RubyMars: I know it isn’t, but you sent a lot of material. It must have cost an arm and a leg to ship them.

  RubyMars: I’m going to send it regardless of whether you want me to or not.

  AHall80: ….

  AHall80: Fine

  RubyMars: They’re going to be reversible. I can see them already.

  RubyMars: Thank you!!!

  RubyMars: Thank you. I really don’t know what to say. It made my month.

  AHall80: Yeah, you’re welcome.

  AHall80: I can only get on for a sec, but happy birthday, stalker girl.

  RubyMars: Thank you, stalker boy. You made my day.

  AHall80: :] I’ll write you soon.

  RubyMars: Okay, be safe. :)

  March 30th

  AHall80: Rubes

  RubyMars: Hey stalker

  AHall80: ….

  AHall80: I got your e-mail about going on date #2. How’d it go?

  RubyMars: Really good. He had tickets to a hockey game and dinner.

  AHall80: Houston has a hockey team?

  RubyMars: It wasn’t pro hockey, just some local rec league.

  AHall80: He knows about your sister?

  RubyMars: No. I don’t usually tell anyone about that lazy fart. His friend is on the team.

  AHall80: She still hasn’t gone skating again?

  RubyMars: No…

  AHall80: Shit.

  AHall80: What happened to the dress you were going to make her?

  RubyMars: I’m almost done with it, but I’m having second thoughts now.

  AHall80: What’s the worse that’ll happen?

  RubyMars: She yells at me and throws the dress on the floor?

  AHall80: You yell back at her and sell the dress if she acts like that.

  RubyMars: :)

  AHall80: It’s not like you have anything else to do.

  RubyMars: I take back ever telling you you’re sweet.

  AHall80: Lol

  AHall80: Have you ever called me that before?

  RubyMars: No, lol.

  AHall80: Remember that time I sent you cloth?

  RubyMars: Fabric and yeah, I do.

  RubyMars: Remember that time I sent you socks?

  AHall80: I’m wearing them right now

  RubyMars: No you’re not.

  AHall80: Nah, I’m not. They’re dirty. :]

  RubyMars: Remember that time you thought I was talking about your butthole, but I was talking about your stomach?

  AHall80: BYE

  RubyMars: Lol

  RubyMars: Lmao

  RubyMars: I can’t stop laughing.

  AHall80: Happy birthday, girl.

  AHall80: Wishing you nothing but the best, Rubes.

  RubyMars: Thank you, Aaron.

  AHall80: I gotta go, but I’ll msg you soon.

  AHall80: Happy Birthday again

  AHall80: Bye, Ruby Cube

  RubyMars: Bye. Thank you!

  Chapter 11

  April

  April 2, 2009

  AHall80: Hey

  RubyMars: Hey yourself.

  AHall80: How was your bday?

  RubyMars: Great. Everyone came over and we went out to eat. The restaurant brought me out a slice of cake and sang happy birthday while I stared at each of my family members, cursing them out in my head for doing that to me.

  AHall80: They do that to you every year?

  RubyMars: No. They know I hate it, so they switch it up. I never know when they’ll do it and when they won’t, because if they always did, I’d stop going out to dinner on that day.

  AHall80: Poor Ruby

  RubyMars: Poor me. :)

  RubyMars: It was a good day.

  AHall80: Did you get any presents?

  RubyMars: Yes. :) Let’s see, my mom and #4 got me clothes and a season 1 DVD of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with the cover signed. My dad sent me a gift certificate for an airline to buy a flight out to visit him. My oldest brother, Seb, gave me $50. Jonathan gave me $50 too and a gift card for makeup. His boyfriend gave me a really pretty scarf that I’m scared to wear because I’m pretty sure it cost two hundred dollars. Tali, my older sister, gave me $50 and a gift card to this fabric store, and my little sister gave me some really neat custom business cards. And my friends just gave me random things like bags of Fritos, some DVDs and gift cards. It was great.

  AHall80: Happy to hear that

  AHall80: Doing okay?

  RubyMars: Yeah, I’m really good. You?

  AHall80: Really good? What’d you do today?

  AHall80: I’m all right.

  RubyMars: I worked on a bunch of bandanas, almost finished up some details on my sister’s new dress. I’m going to kickboxing later. How was your day?

  AHall80: Same old shit every day. :] The days feel even longer knowing I’m leaving soon.

  AHall80: Is kickboxing a monthly membership?

  RubyMars: I bet.

  RubyMars: No. It was cheaper to buy a year pass for X amount of classes.

  AHall80: You don’t care if I give some of the soldiers staying here the books you sent me? Not all of them, just some.

  RubyMars: Of course not. They were a gift… and they were all used copies. Do whatever you want.

  AHall80: That’s what I thought, just wanted to check. I need something to read on the flight back in case I don’t fall asleep.

  RubyMars: I bet you’ll be asleep in the first twenty minutes.

  AHall80: Not betting against you lol

  RubyMars: Are you dead set on having pizza first thing you can when you get back?

  AHall80: Pizza and a beer.

  AHall80: A
real beer.

  RubyMars: I forgot they don’t have real beer over there… and you did mention having a beer before.

  AHall80: Yeah. They have the nonalcoholic stuff, but no. Some guys get it when they’re desperate, but I’d rather not waste my money. That and cigarettes are what everybody starts missing the most over here.

  RubyMars: You never told me, do you smoke?

  AHall80: Nah

  AHall80: Not really. Sometimes if I’m really stressed.

  RubyMars: Have you smoked that cigar someone gave you?

  AHall80: Not yet. Saving it for the day I leave

  AHall80: What happened with that guy you went on a date with?

  RubyMars: He’s been texting me. He asked when we could go out again.

  AHall80: What did you say?

  RubyMars: I said maybe soon. I like him, but… I don’t know. I feel like I should like him more. Our texts are still awkward, and I feel like maybe they shouldn’t be that way. I don’t know.

  AHall80: Awkward how?

  RubyMars: Like neither one of us knows what to talk to each other about.

  AHall80: Oh

  RubyMars: Is that normal?

  AHall80: I guess.

  AHall80: I only texted my girl if I had something to tell her.

  RubyMars: That’s romantic.

  AHall80: I know, that’s why I’m single.

  RubyMars: I meant it as a joke, I’m sorry.

  AHall80: I know you did. It’s fine.

  AHall80: It is what it is.

  RubyMars: :)

  RubyMars: Anywho, I keep thinking if I’m not crazy about him by now, it’s a waste of both of our times. Do you know what I mean? My mom says she knew the same day she met my dad, she knew she was crazy about him.

  RubyMars: Not that they stayed together, but you know what I mean.

  RubyMars: She said the same thing about every man she’s been married to. You either hit it off or you don’t, even if it isn’t romantic.

  RubyMars: I’ve hit it off with each of my best friends from the start.

  AHall80: Huh

  AHall80: I never thought about it like that. You got a point. I guess you should know there’s something special there.

  RubyMars: My sister is telling me I’m making things up in my head and expecting too much.

  AHall80: What does she think you’re expecting?

  RubyMars: Someone perfect.

  AHall80: That doesn’t exist.

  RubyMars: I know it doesn’t. I’m not. I just figure I should feel something more than a little bit of weird friendship, but I just feel… I don’t know. Not enough. Like I don’t miss him if I don’t hear from him. I don’t go out of my way to text him. I don’t find myself telling him things. I don’t sit around thinking about him.

  AHall80: I don’t think I’ve ever met anybody who I was crazy about first thing, Rube. Least not as more than a friend.

  RubyMars: Never?

  AHall80: Nah.

  AHall80: But you should wait. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen, I just haven’t experienced it.

  RubyMars: Maybe I should give him another shot.

  AHall80: Or not

  RubyMars: ….

  RubyMars: You think I shouldn’t bother then?

  AHall80: I’m thinking about it, and I think you got it right the first time. It’s basically wasting your time and their time if you aren’t interested like that. There has to be at least a little something there if you want it to last longer than a day.

  AHall80: I wish I’d known that. It would’ve saved me a lot of crazy girlfriends.

  RubyMars: Lessons with Ruby at 1 p.m. central time. Stay tuned.

  AHall80: No

  RubyMars: :)

  AHall80: What happened with your dating profile?

  RubyMars: I haven’t finished it yet. I keep putting it off and haven’t felt like doing it. I might get back to it soon. I have more important things to worry about than dating.

  RubyMars: If you say something again about me going to church or volunteering at a dog shelter….

  AHall80: I’m not.

  RubyMars: You were thinking about it, weren’t you?

  AHall80: Maybe :]

  RubyMars: Are you going to join a church when you decide to start dating again?

  AHall80: …

  RubyMars: ….

  AHall80: Bye

  RubyMars: Lol, that’s what I thought.

  AHall80: I’m going to volunteer at a shelter.

  RubyMars: You’re a freaking liar.

  AHall80: :]

  AHall80: Nah, I’m good, for real. I’ve had enough drama and bullshit for the rest of my life.

  RubyMars: You’re over your ex though, right?

  AHall80: Yeah I haven’t thought about her since the last time I msged you about her.

  AHall80: I gotta go. Message you soon?

  RubyMars: That works for me. Be careful.

  AHall80: You too. Bye, Ru

  April 6, 2009

  AHall80: Hey you

  RubyMars: Hey stalker

  RubyMars: How are you doing?

  AHall80: All right. You?

  RubyMars: Good. :)

  AHall80: I started packing today. I wanted to figure out what else I’m going to leave here.

  AHall80: It’s too soon, but it isn’t like I have anything better to do.

  RubyMars: What are you considering?

  AHall80: Some books, cards, my shower bag.

  AHall80: My worst underwear

  RubyMars: Would anyone want your old undies?

  AHall80: Not willingly

  RubyMars: Lol, did you take a lot with you?

  AHall80: Yeah

  AHall80: Learned my lesson the hard way that it’s better to have too many than not enough.

  RubyMars: Might as well leave the ones with skid marks while you’re at it too.

  AHall80: Skid marks??

  RubyMars: Are you crying or am I the only one?

  AHall80: You’re the only one.

  AHall80: I can promise you there’s 0 skid marks on my underwear.

  RubyMars: Zero, really?

  AHall80: Maybe not 0… maybe 2.

  RubyMars: That sounds more like it.

  RubyMars: Lol

  RubyMars: How did we even get to this point?

  AHall80: You telling me about peeing in public

  RubyMars: ….

  AHall80: You talk about skid marks with all your friends?

  RubyMars: Only with the ones I like the best. :)

  AHall80: Lucky me. :]

  AHall80: I had a few old whities that aren’t so white anymore.

  RubyMars: They’re brown now?

  AHall80: ….

  AHall80: Yeah, but not for the reason you think. They’re dirty because I don’t get to shower every day. I know better than to buy white ones.

  RubyMars: Eww. Yeah, leave those.

  RubyMars: Do you have to do anything right before you leave?

  AHall80: Nah, not usually. Our replacements will start showing up soon, and then it’ll just be us sitting around, waiting for our turn to fly out.

  RubyMars: I want to ask how long your flight is, but maybe you can tell me afterward.

  AHall80: Yeah. If I disappear randomly, it’s because I’m gone, but I’ll try to let you know so you aren’t expecting the worst.

  RubyMars: You’ll let me know at least when you get back to base? Just so I know you’re okay?

  RubyMars: You don’t have to or anything.

  AHall80: Yeah, but we still have time till then

  AHall80: I’ll tell you

  RubyMars: What are you doing after you get there?

  AHall80: I got about a week of reintegration before I get 30 days of leave. I left my truck with Max, so I’m going to fly to Louisiana, then go to Scotland for a week, then Florida another week and back home for a couple days before I drive back to base.

  RubyMars: I’m so happy for you going to Scotland. I think you
’re going to have a great time with your friends. I’ll live through you.

  AHall80: :]

  AHall80: We got the beach house situation sorted too.

  RubyMars: Where are you staying? South Florida?

  AHall80: Nah. We just want to fish and stuff. We’re staying at a place in this town called San Blas.

  RubyMars: I’ve never heard of it.

  AHall80: I’ve been there a few times

  AHall80: I gotta go, but I’ll msg you soon.

  RubyMars: Okay, bye!

  April 9, 2009

  AHall80: Hey

  RubyMars: Hey. How are you?

  AHall80: Just got an e-mail from my brother that’s stressing me out

  RubyMars: Everything okay?

  AHall80: Some asshole was picking on my sister and she hadn’t told anyone

  RubyMars: Picking on her how?

  AHall80: He works for my dad. From what my brother knew, he’d been coming on to my sister… touching her even though he knew she doesn’t like to be touched

  AHall80: I’m shaking from how fucking pissed I am

  AHall80: I’m all the way over here and I can’t do anything, you know

  RubyMars: This is going to sound stupid and presumptuous, but I’m getting pissed off and she isn’t related to me. How did he find out?

  AHall80: My dad was looking through security film after someone fell and saw it. He asked my sister about it and she admitted he’d been doing it for a while. It wasn’t anything… inappropriate because he’d be dead by now if that was the case, just her arms and shoulders, stuff like that. Not a big deal for most people, but it is for her. I’ve gotten two hugs from her her whole life. She doesn’t… know how to react to people… what to say, how to interact, so she gets pretty quiet and doesn’t make eye contact… that kind of thing.

  AHall80: That’s my little sister, Ruby.

  AHall80: I’m shaking

  AHall80: I can barely type

  RubyMars: If that was my little sister, I’d feel the same way.

  RubyMars: What did your dad or brother do?

  AHall80: He fired him, but that doesn’t change much. Everyone knows she’s autistic and this asshole took advantage of her.

  AHall80: I’m sorry

  RubyMars: For what?

  RubyMars: What can I do?

  RubyMars: I’ve been taking kickboxing for almost a year now. I know how to booby trap an airbag, you know.