RubyMars: It worked out anyway. I shouldn’t be spending that money right now.
RubyMars: My mom and #4 are going to Hawaii. Have you been there?
AHall80: Hawaii? No. Want to though.
AHall80: Can’t really handle the big tourist places anymore. Too many people, too much noise… nah.
RubyMars: I get it. My brother is the same way. There are a lot of places to go that aren’t theme parks and tourist traps.
AHall80: You’re right.
AHall80: I need to go, but I’ll msg you soon.
RubyMars: Okay. Be safe.
AHall80: You too. Bye, RC
April 25, 2009
AHall80: Hey Rubes
RubyMars: Hey.
RubyMars: Everything good?
AHall80: For the most part.
RubyMars: Bad day?
AHall80: It hasn’t been the best.
RubyMars: I’m sorry.
RubyMars: Anything I can do?
AHall80: Take my mind off it?
RubyMars: Okay.
RubyMars: Let me think. Nothing stupid has happened to me lately, or anyone I know…
AHall80: You were going to tell me about how your mom taught you how to ride a bike a long time ago.
RubyMars: I forgot about that! Okay. I’ll tell you.
RubyMars: It isn’t a long story.
RubyMars: It’s kind of stupid, actually. I don’t know why I was even going to tell you about it.
AHall80: Tell me anyway
RubyMars: You’re sure?
AHall80: Tell me.
RubyMars: Okay.
RubyMars: Remember how I told you she’s always talked a bunch of crap to us but won’t let other people do that? Keep that in mind.
RubyMars: I was probably like 6 and my dad had been on my case about taking my training wheels off for a long time (they were still together back then.) But my dad has always been the softie of the two, and every time he failed with me learning, when the bike would tip over or if I’d crash into something, etc., he would drop it and put the wheels back on. No biggie, right?
RubyMars: My mom finally got tired of me not learning and came outside one day after I’d fallen while I was telling my dad I didn’t want to try again… pretty sure I was crying. Anywho, she comes up to us, points at me, and says “Get on the bike. I’m going to teach you since somebody can’t.” So I get on the bike, because by that age, I already know not to mess around with my mom. She holds the back of the seat while I get on and gives me some instructions… the same thing my dad would say every time. Balance, keep your hands on the handles, that type of thing.
RubyMars: Before she starts walking the bike and me forward, she leans into my ear and says “If you don’t do this right the first time, Rubella, you’re on bathroom and kitchen cleanup for the next month, okay, honey? You can do it. I believe in you.”
RubyMars: Yeah, I learned how to ride that freaking bike that time LOL.
AHall80: That’s not at all what I thought was going to do down.
RubyMars: She did the same thing to Jazz when it was time. I heard her. You’ve never seen two little five-year-old’s legs pump pedals that fast in your life.
RubyMars: When it was time for me to learn how to drive, I begged my older sister to teach me instead of my mom because I was worried about what kind of threats she’d make me live with once she got tired of my BS.
AHall80: LOL
AHall80: My dad taught me how to drive
RubyMars: How’d that go?
AHall80: Fine. I’m a good driver.
RubyMars: That’s not cocky at all.
AHall80: I am. It’s the truth.
RubyMars: So modest. What kind of car did you learn on?
AHall80: His white sedan. He’s always had white cars. Says they don’t get as hot as black cars do.
RubyMars: My mom says the same thing!
AHall80: :]
AHall80: How old were you?
RubyMars: 17. I had to have a job first to pay my insurance. You?
AHall80: Got my permit at 15 and was driving at 16.
RubyMars: Show off.
AHall80: It seems like forever ago. Sometimes I can’t believe I’m going to be 30. I still think I’m 16 or 18 most of the time.
RubyMars: I know. I can’t believe I’ve been out of high school almost 7 years already. Like what have I done with my life since then? You know?
AHall80: Me too.
AHall80: I never knew what I was going to do, but it wasn’t being in the military.
AHall80: Still don’t know what I want to do.
RubyMars: You still have your whole life ahead of you. You can do whatever you want with it. You’re smart, responsible, and you have a good head on your shoulders.
AHall80: I don’t know about all that.
RubyMars: It’s true. I wouldn’t say that if it wasn’t.
RubyMars: I read somewhere you’re your happiest in your thirties anyway.
AHall80: For real?
RubyMars: Yeah, I guess by that point you know who you are better and have more of your life on track by then.
RubyMars: If that’s the case, I have six years to get my crap together, lol. I’m going to need every minute.
AHall80: You’ll figure it out.
RubyMars: Everything can always be worse. That’s what I tell myself when I’m not crying into a gallon of Blue Bell.
AHall80: What’s Blue Bell?
RubyMars: …
RubyMars: You’re joking.
AHall80: No what is it?
RubyMars: ….
AHall80: Yes, I’m joking. They have it in Louisiana.
RubyMars: Bless your heart, I was about to have to try and figure out how to freeze-dry ice cream to send it to you across the world.
AHall80: LOL
AHall80: You’re something else
RubyMars: :) I’ve been told I’m very loveable.
AHall80: Who said that? Your mom?
RubyMars: ……….
AHall80: ………
RubyMars: ……..
AHall80: :]
RubyMars: I take back that one time I called you nice.
AHall80: LOL
AHall80: I thought we were friends?
RubyMars: You’re basically my closest friend now.
RubyMars: I don’t know why I just told you that. No pressure. I don’t mean it to be weird. I have other friends too. It’s just different with you.
RubyMars: I like you more than just about everyone else I know. You get me.
RubyMars: I keep making it worse.
RubyMars: I’m going to stop typing now.
AHall80: I get what you mean. You’re pretty much my closest friend too
RubyMars: :)
AHall80: You can start typing again
RubyMars: I’m worried I’ll say something I’ll regret.
AHall80: Like what?
RubyMars: I don’t know. Something I’ll regret.
AHall80: Like?
RubyMars: I’m not digging this hole of shame any deeper, lol.
AHall80: You already dug one deep hole, what’s another one?
RubyMars: You stepped in human crap too!
AHall80: I was talking about the peeing in public, Ruby
RubyMars: Oh.
RubyMars: About that
RubyMars: Lol
AHall80: Yeah, about that
AHall80: :]
RubyMars: I’ll own it.
AHall80: I gotta go, but I’ll message you soon.
RubyMars: Okay, bye and be safe.
AHall80: You too
April 26, 2009
AHall80: Hey
RubyMars: Hey.
AHall80: Peanut butter or jelly?
RubyMars: Is this a trick question?
AHall80: No.
RubyMars: Jelly.
AHall80: Thank God
AHall80: Just listened to five people argue peanut butter over jelly for the last hour at dinner. I was
too tired to tell them they were all out of their minds.
RubyMars: You’re Team Jelly too?
AHall80: All the way
RubyMars: Good. I wouldn’t have wanted to stop being your friend over something stupid like liking peanut butter more, but I would’ve looked back on our friendship fondly.
AHall80: Heh
AHall80: Aaron and Ruby RIP 2008-2009
RubyMars: There are tears in my eyes
RubyMars: “Ruron Forever”
AHall80: Ruron? Ruby+Aaron? That’s clever.
RubyMars: It’s our ship name
AHall80: Like a battleship?
RubyMars: You poor, sweet, innocent child
RubyMars: Ship. Shipping. I ship ______.
AHall80: I don’t know what you’re talking about
RubyMars: Today is the day our friendship dies.
RubyMars: You’ve never heard that term before?
AHall80: No
AHall80: For real.
AHall80: “Today is the day our friendship dies”
AHall80: Ruby….
RubyMars: I’ll forgive you then. I forget the dork doesn’t run strong in you.
RubyMars: Shipping is… “relationSHIP” like, liking two characters and thinking they should be in a relationship together in a fandom.
RubyMars: Do you know what a fandom is?
AHall80: I know what a fandom is.
RubyMars: Okay. You watched Buffy. Remember Angel? The vampire? Buffy + Angel = Bangel.
AHall80: Got it.
AHall80: I liked the other guy more
RubyMars: ……
RubyMars: Spike?
AHall80: Yeah
RubyMars: Marry me.
RubyMars: I think I might love you.
AHall80: Lol
AHall80: OK
RubyMars: I’m not even joking. Marry me. The offer stands.
RubyMars: Kidding, I am joking. :)
RubyMars: How much of the show did you watch…?
AHall80: ……
AHall80: 7 seasons?
RubyMars: There was only 7 seasons.
RubyMars: Aaron
RubyMars: That’s tears in my eyes twice today
AHall80: Max sent me tapes of every season about 4 or 5 years ago when I was deployed. He watched it too, but he’ll never admit it
RubyMars: I take back what I said. Today is the day our friendship turned into a forever thing lol
AHall80: :]
AHall80: Works for me
RubyMars: Good lol.
AHall80: I gotta go, but I’ll msg you soon, Ruron
RubyMars: Okay, bye, Ruron.
April 28, 2009
AHall80: You ever feel like beating the shit out of someone?
RubyMars: Hello to you
RubyMars: Only once or twice.
RubyMars: Why?
AHall80: Who?
AHall80: Just some new guy that’s driving me up the wall. He’s so damn naïve and stupid.
RubyMars: Who did I want to beat up?
RubyMars: I’m sorry. Did you get into a fight with him?
AHall80: Yeah
AHall80: I didn’t, but I wanted to. I know he’s a dumbass private who hasn’t seen or done anything before, and I know he doesn’t know anything… but it’s hard to keep my mouth closed when he’s rattling nonsense out of his mouth.
RubyMars: I wanted to beat up this girl in high school who used to talk about me behind my back. I also wanted to beat the crap out of the random stranger who hit my car in the parking lot a year ago. That’s all.
RubyMars: Those kind of people are the worst.
AHall80: Somebody bullied you in high school?
RubyMars: I wouldn’t call it bullying. All she ever did was make stupid comments under her breath when I could hear her. It only upset me the first ten times she did it.
AHall80: Did you do anything to make her stop?
RubyMars: No.
AHall80: …….
RubyMars: I told you it didn’t bother me so much. She was just a hateful person in general. No biggie. But for a while, I did want to kick her ass if I could have.
RubyMars: She had these giant boobs, and one time she must have bent over and the whole shebang came out of her bra because her nipple was really obviously out of her bra. You could see it. I saw it and didn’t tell her anything.
RubyMars: I also saw her boyfriend back then cheating on her when I went to the movies and never said anything either.
RubyMars: I feel guilty thinking about it now.
RubyMars: I’m stealing the conversation with my random crap. I’m sorry. Tell me about the idiot private.
AHall80: No, you’re not. I’m not even that pissed off about him anymore.
AHall80: Do you know what happened to her?
RubyMars: The mean girl?
AHall80: Yeah
RubyMars: No. Now I want to look her up, lol.
RubyMars: Have you ever beat up anyone?
AHall80: Beat up? No. Gotten into a fight? Yeah
RubyMars: Over what?
AHall80: Nothing. Just drunk and dumb in high school.
RubyMars: Lame. I wanted something juicy.
AHall80: Heh no. Nothing like that.
RubyMars: Not even over one of your million girlfriends?
AHall80: I didn’t have a million
AHall80: And hell no. Not ever over a girl.
RubyMars: Only 999,999 girlfriends
AHall80: …….
AHall80: Bye
RubyMars: :)
RubyMars: You’re still here.
AHall80: 20 something max. Most of them were girls I dated for a month.
RubyMars: Mister Commitment right here.
AHall80: …….
AHall80: Swear on my life, I’ve lost so much face with other soldiers since I started e-mailing and IMing you, I don’t know if I’ll ever recover it. People can’t take me seriously when I laugh out loud at you.
RubyMars: First world problems.
AHall80: Damn it, Ruby
RubyMars: Lol
RubyMars: I respect you, if that means anything.
RubyMars: Mostly.
AHall80: “Mostly”
AHall80: BYE
RubyMars: :) :) :)
AHall80: Moving on, you doing okay?
RubyMars: Yes. You?
AHall80: Yeah, I’m all right.
AHall80: I heard this joke that made me think of you
RubyMars: Share it.
AHall80: What do cows like to read?
RubyMars: There are already tears in my eyes
AHall80: Cattle logs
RubyMars: You are a treasure I will value every day for the rest of my life.
AHall80: :] I knew you’d like it. I had to tell you.
AHall80: I gotta go, but I’ll write you soon, RC
RubyMars: Bye, Ruron
RubyMars: Be safe.
April 30, 2009
AHall80: Hey
RubyMars: Hey you.
AHall80: What are you up to?
RubyMars: Nothing. On the couch, eating my troubles away while I watch TV.
AHall80: Want me to let you go?
RubyMars: No.
AHall80: What are you watching?
AHall80: Someone put on the first X-Men movie today and I thought of you
RubyMars: I feel so pleased with myself.
RubyMars: I’m watching a Project Runway marathon…
AHall80: What’s that?
RubyMars: A show about designers competing to kick off their careers.
AHall80: I should’ve known that. :]
RubyMars: I’m on my second cup of Ramen. I thought of you.
AHall80: LOL.
AHall80: It’s good. I don’t eat it when I’m not here, but I get used to it.
RubyMars: Guess what?
AHall80: What?
RubyMars: I went on another date yesterday.
AHall80: With?
RubyMars: M
y brother’s friend.
RubyMars: Not the one you don’t like, the one who didn’t lead me on.
AHall80: I thought he pissed you off?
RubyMars: He did, but he called and asked if I wanted to go to a special exhibit at the science museum. I was going to tell him no because of what happened last time, but not going because I was embarrassed about what happened... I figured you would tell me to go too.
AHall80: Yeah
RubyMars: So I went. It was nice.
AHall80: He didn’t try to come on to you?
RubyMars: He kissed me.
RubyMars: That was all. It was nice.
RubyMars: Are you there?
AHall80: Yeah
RubyMars: Everything okay?
AHall80: Yeah
AHall80: Are you going to see him again?
RubyMars: He invited me to go to the movies with him tomorrow. They have a morning showing at a theater that serves pancakes.
AHall80: You’re going to wake up early?
RubyMars: Yes. You’re not the first person to ask that. :)
AHall80: OK
RubyMars: I think it’ll be fun as long as I don’t fall asleep during the movie.
AHall80: Don’t do that.
RubyMars: I won’t. I hope.
RubyMars: He really is nice. He wouldn’t do anything to me.
AHall80: If you say so
RubyMars: I told you I’ve known him for years. He’s good people.
AHall80: OK
RubyMars: …
RubyMars: Are you okay?
AHall80: Yeah
RubyMars: Was today a bad day?
RubyMars: Want me to let you go?
AHall80: No.
AHall80: Nah, it’s ok
RubyMars: Okay.
RubyMars: Good.
RubyMars: I sold a bunch of bandanas to this dog groomer my sister knows through her job.
AHall80: That’s good.
RubyMars: I thought so.
AHall80: Yeah
RubyMars: Have you heard anything else about Scotland or Florida?
AHall80: No
RubyMars: Are you sure you’re okay?
AHall80: I’m fine.
AHall80: I gotta go. I’ll write you soon.
RubyMars: Okay.
RubyMars: I’m here if you need to talk about anything.
AHall80: I know. Bye.
RubyMars: Bye, Ruron.
Chapter 12
May
May 16, 2009
AHall80: Hi
Dear Aaron Page 15