-A

Chapter 4

September

From: [email protected]

Date: September 1, 2008 2:05 a.m.

To: [email protected]

Subject: Hi

Hi Aaron,

My name is Ruby, and I live in Texas. I was paired up with you through the Help a Soldier foundation.

If you aren’t familiar with the program, I’ll break you in so that you aren’t wondering why I’m e-mailing and sending you letters. According to the program’s guidelines, I’m supposed to reach out to you every week. I am not even close to being rich, but hopefully every once in a while, I can send you a care package.

I’m sure you’re busy, so I won’t make this long.

Since we’re in this for at least a few more months, I’ll ask you some questions so we can get to know each other.

Do you go by Aaron or something else?

How much longer do you have left of your deployment?

If I could send you one thing from home, what would it be?

I look forward to hearing from you.

All the best,

Ruby

P.S. Does this count as starting over?

P.P.S. It’s okay that you didn’t reach out until now. I kept putting off writing back to HaS about the reassignment.

From: [email protected]

Date: September 5, 2008 2:17 p.m.

To: [email protected]

Subject: RE: Hi

Ruby,

Thanks for writing. You’re the sixth match I’ve made through HaS, and the second one on this deployment. You’re the first one that lives in Texas. Are you originally from there?

Letters and e-mails are enough for me. I appreciate you taking the time to write. You don’t need to do anything else.

Here are the answers you asked about.

My friends and family either call me Aaron or Hall, nothing original… sometimes asswipe. Why does your family call you Squirt?

I have 8 months left before my deployment ends.

If I could get something from home it would be a pizza… mac and cheese is number 2 on my list of things I miss.

Hope you write back soon.

-A

P.S. This counts as starting over. Sorry for not writing you back before. I don’t have a good excuse. I had some personal mess going on… nothing to do with you. Hope you understand. Sorry again.

From: [email protected]

Date: September 7, 2008 1:55 a.m.

To: Aaron.Tanner.Hall.[email protected]

Subject: Texas and Nicknames

Dear Aaron,

You’re welcome for writing. I’m sure you’re busy. It’s no biggie. All I wanted was to make sure someone was getting my mail.

You’re my third soldier I’ve “adopted.” That’s a strange word, isn’t it? Like you’re not an adult. If I’m your second pairing in this deployment, does that mean you have another person or family who still messages you or did things not work out with them? Don’t feel obligated to answer that.

I was born in California, but I’ve lived in Houston since I was four. Are you from Texas by any chance?

I’ll stick with calling you Aaron. I’m curious and you don’t have to tell me, but who calls you asswipe?

Squirt…. Everyone calls me that because I was the baby in the family for almost six years. I’m also the shortest. My little sister was an “accident” I don’t like to think about. :)

You’ve got me in a pickle with sending you pizza. I’ll have to think about how to make that happen, but luckily, I like solving a good problem.

Okay, here are three more random questions (I switched one up from that time before we’re pretending didn’t happen. Reactivating my amnesia after this.):

Do you play video games?

Are you an only child or do you have siblings?

What kind of movies do you like to watch?

Hope you’re okay.

Best wishes,

Ruby Santos

P.S. All is forgiven. Don’t worry. You don’t have to write me back every week. I promise I wasn’t trying to guilt trip you. I really was just worried I had offended you or my messages weren’t going through.

From: [email protected]

Date: September 8, 2008 2:17 p.m.

To: [email protected]

Subject: RE: Texas and Nicknames

Ruby,

Were you paired up with your other soldiers their whole deployment? The other family I have in the program writes me every week. I think HaS hasn’t had as many soldiers signing up this year like they have in the past and that’s why some of us have multiple families that write us… not that I’m complaining.

I was born and raised in Louisiana, but I’ve moved around a lot since enlisting. Been to Texas a few times with friends.

My best friends call me asswipe.