Hope you’re doing well.
All the best, Ruby
P.S. I still haven’t heard back from the foundation.
August 19, 2008
Aaron, The Help a Soldier foundation got back to me a few days ago, and they said they confirmed that you’re still deployed and that they provided the correct information to reach you.
I’ve thought it over and maybe we didn’t hit it off, or I did/wrote something wrong, and that’s okay. This will be my last letter/e-mail to you. They’re going to switch me out with someone else in the foundation, so you should continue getting mail on time.
My brother was a marine, and I joined this program because he told me how lonely and bored soldiers get when they’re overseas. It’s easy for me to forget that not everyone has a big, overwhelming family like mine. Writing back and forth while he (my brother) was in Iraq made us really close. Loneliness even when you’re surrounded by others is something I understand well.
I’m wishing you the best while you’re stationed somewhere in the world. Thank you for your sacrifice and bravery. Take care.
Best wishes always, -Ruby Santos
From: [email protected]
Date: August 24, 2008 1:08 p.m.
To: [email protected]
Subject: RE: Help a Soldier
Ruby, This is Aaron with Help a Soldier.
All your letters and e-mails have come through… sorry for taking so long to reach out.
-A
From: [email protected]
Date: August 28, 2008 1:46 p.m.
To: [email protected]
Subject: RE: RE: Help a Soldier
Ruby, This is Aaron again. Haven’t heard back from you… Can we start over?
-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: [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.
I’ll stick with calling you Ruby, if that’s all right.
Here are the answers to your questions.
If it wasn’t for video games, half my platoon would be bored out of their minds. Somebody here is always having a Halo tournament.
I have one sister and one brother.
Favorite movies… I like 80s action films, but I’m not picky. I’ll watch anything. What about you?
Hope to hear from you soon.
-A
From: [email protected]
Date: September 12, 2008 12:05 a.m.
To: [email protected]
Subject: Movies and Stuff
Dear Aaron,
Before you, one of the soldiers finished his tour and went home. We were paired up for eleven months. The other one… I had to ask HaS to switch us. Things got weird. That’s great you have more people messaging you. I was talking to someone I know about the pen pal thing with the military and they told me that there’s a lot more dating websites for military personnel and civilians than there used to be. I bet that might be why there are less soldiers signing up. Don’t take my word for it.
Where in Louisiana are you from if you don’t mind me asking? It’s okay if you don’t want to answer that.
Ruby is fine.
80s action movies like what exactly? Jean-Claude? Arnold? Steven? I’m not judging, just asking.
My favorite movies? That’s a tough one. I’ve watched the original Cleopatra a hundred times, Alien a thousand times, Beetlejuice a million, and the Star Wars trilogy even more. You?
Do you guys play anything besides Halo?
One sister and brother sound nice. I have two sisters and two brothers.
Here are more questions for you:
Pretzels or chips?
Summer sports or winter sports?
Dogs or cats?
Wishing you the best,
Ruby
From: [email protected]
Date: September 17, 2008 1:17 p.m.