Dear Aaron(63)

AHall80: Yeah

RubyMars: Why? Because you want to meet up?

AHall80: Yeah…

RubyMars: But why?

AHall80: Because what’s the point in waiting? It’ll be a while before I get more time off.

AHall80: Come with

RubyMars: Maybe you aren’t thinking about this clearly.

AHall80: I am.

RubyMars: Mmm-hmm… I don’t think you are.

AHall80: Why?

RubyMars: Because.

AHall80: Why?

RubyMars: Because!

RubyMars: You can’t just decide overnight you want to meet me all of a sudden.

RubyMars: I’m leaving in less than two weeks to visit my dad.

AHall80: There’s no “all of a sudden.”

AHall80: And I didn’t decide that overnight AHall80: I’ve been thinking about it a lot

AHall80: What’s the problem?

AHall80: You’re leaving after I have to be back from Florida.

AHall80: You there?

RubyMars: I’m here.

RubyMars: I just… what if I get on your nerves? Maybe you won’t like me in person.

RubyMars: You’re not exactly asking me to have dinner with you and your friends. You’re inviting me to go to a beach house with you and people you’ve known for a long time for multiple days, right?

AHall80: Your argument right now is that you might get on my nerves?

RubyMars: We’ve never met!

AHall80: So

AHall80: You said you love Florida.

AHall80: And you know I’d like to meet you. I’d thought next time I came down to Louisiana, we could meet up… all it is is sooner. We’ve known each other for almost a year.

AHall80: I don’t see a point in waiting RubyMars: Yeah, but…

RubyMars: This isn’t us meeting up at a coffee shop or something.

AHall80: We wouldn’t have met at a coffee shop

RubyMars: Why not? We could before you went back to base.

AHall80: No.

RubyMars: ….

AHall80: We could’ve met at a comic con if there was one going on

RubyMars: You’re killing me.

AHall80: Why?

RubyMars: Because you know me too well.

AHall80: That’s a problem?

RubyMars: ….no

RubyMars: I want to meet you. I really do, but going to a beach house with you is a big step.

AHall80: Why?

RubyMars: I already told you. We’ve never met.

AHall80: In person AHall80: I don’t think we’re strangers. You know more about me than just about anyone I spent a year with in Iraq. More than most people I know in general, Rubes.

AHall80: I like you. You like me. What’s the problem?

RubyMars: I didn’t even know for sure you’d been in Iraq, Aaron.

RubyMars: I hadn’t even known until right before you flew back that you were even based in Kentucky.

RubyMars: I get why you didn’t tell me until now. I would’ve done the same, but….

AHall80: You know now.

RubyMars: This is crazy.

AHall80: Do you think it is?

AHall80: Maybe a little.

AHall80: It’s fine

RubyMars: Maybe a little?

RubyMars: The sad part is that I don’t think it’s as crazy as I should. My mom would kill me for not immediately telling you no.

RubyMars: This giant part of me wants to tell you yeah, I’ll go. But… we barely know each other.

RubyMars: You know what I mean.

AHall80: We know each other.

RubyMars: You know we know each other. I know we know each other, but nobody else knows or gets that.

RubyMars: We’ve never met.

RubyMars: It would be like… an arranged marriage where we meet on the day of the wedding.

RubyMars: I thought…

AHall80: So?

AHall80: I’m asking you, not anybody else. I wouldn’t ask anybody else. Only you.

AHall80: Who says we don’t know each other?

RubyMars: I don’t know… society?

RubyMars: But what if I get on your nerves?

RubyMars: We’ve never even talked on the phone.

RubyMars: I don’t even know what you look like.

RubyMars: I think I’m freaking out.

AHall80: I doubt you’ll get on my nerves more than anybody else I’ve ever known.

AHall80: ….I can send you a picture. You never asked for one.

AHall80: Stop freaking out. You know me.

RubyMars: !!!!!!

RubyMars: I know I know you.

AHall80: Call me

RubyMars: Wut

AHall80: Call me. I’ll know the instant I talk to you if I can put up with you for a week.

RubyMars: Put up with me…

AHall80: You know what I mean

RubyMars: ….

RubyMars: I think you should think about this more.

AHall80: I have thought about it.

AHall80: The entire flight back from Scotland AHall80: Most of the time I was in the bus

AHall80: I’ve thought about it, Ruby.

RubyMars: Maybe you should sleep on it.

RubyMars: This is crazy. This is really crazy.

AHall80: I already did.

AHall80: You keep saying that.

AHall80: You want to come to Florida.

RubyMars: You’re stealing my words.

RubyMars: You’re a pain.