AHall80: …..

AHall80: Did you finish your dating website profile?

RubyMars: I’ll take it you’re still constipated.

AHall80: Who are you?

RubyMars: I’m tired. I haven’t been sleeping much. My sister says I get feisty when I’m tired.

AHall80: I see. Now I know for next time. I’ll be prepared.

AHall80: Why can’t you sleep?

RubyMars: Stress from catching up. I went to bed late. The ice-skater I’m doing a dress for wanted me to personally measure her after she was done practicing for the night and didn’t want to pay for my hotel room, so I had to drive to Austin to measure her last night and drove straight home afterward. By the time I got back and managed to fall asleep, I only got a three-hour nap in before my little sister started banging on my door to get me to go have breakfast with her. I got back and went straight to work. I’m not made for early mornings.

Ahall80: What time you usually wake up?

RubyMars: I plead the fifth.

Ahall80: I see how it is.

Ahall80: I thought this was our no-judging zone.

RubyMars: It is…

Ahall80: Then you know I’m not going to judge you. What time do you usually get up?

RubyMars: 11 a.m.

Ahall80: I thought you were going say 2 p.m. or something. 11 isn’t bad.

RubyMars: I only wake up at 2 p.m. on Sundays. :) AHall80: Lol. That’s more like it.

AHall80: I’ll drop it. What’d you do for breakfast?

RubyMars: This Mexican food place close by. I had a couple of barbacoa tacos. She annihilated two burritos on her own. I didn’t know she had that appetite in her. Maybe it’s years of watching her diet so closely that now she’s making up for it.

AHall80: She’s still not skating?

RubyMars: No. Her coach has been calling her every day to see when she’s going to hit the rink again, but she’s ignoring her calls.

AHall80: You think she’s going to quit?

RubyMars: I hope she doesn’t, but who knows. Most figure skaters have really short careers. She already started years later than the majority of them do, and I told you she’s a sore loser.

AHall80: I thought you were gonna give her the tough-love treatment?

RubyMars: My mom asked me not to.

AHall80: Why?

RubyMars: Because she thinks it might go the opposite way we want it to. I’ll make her mad and she’ll decide she really wants to quit. Then the whole dream is dead.

AHall80: Hmm

RubyMars: Yeah… I still think I might do it even though I’m worried, but I’m not sure I can talk crap to her. She’s just getting more and more pissy. I’d love her if she skated or if she’d didn’t, but it would be a shame if she quit. Everyone knows she has a gift that not many people have. You have to watch her skate to know that’s what she was born to do.

RubyMars: I know that sounds corny, but it’s true.

RubyMars: I’m rambling. Sorry. How’s Ax?

AHall80: You’re not rambling, and I like hearing about your sister’s skating. Hope she figures it out on her own though.

AHall80: Ax is good. She’s taking turns sleeping by all of us. I think I’m her favorite.

RubyMars: Aww.

AHall80: Every time I see her, she makes me smile… Didn’t realize how much I didn’t smile until she started hanging around more often RubyMars: Do you guys need a collar or a leash for her? I’m sorry I never got around to sending the flea shampoo, but the pneumonia…

AHall80: Nah. Don’t worry about it. One of my PFCs had his wife send things over for her.

RubyMars: How are the books coming along?

AHall80: I finished all the ones you sent. I started rereading The DaVinci Code.

RubyMars: I knew you’d like it!

RubyMars: Barter for more books…

AHall80: You and your bartering lol

AHall80: I did see somebody reading The Hobbit. Maybe I’ll trade for that one.

RubyMars: Do it.

RubyMars: I sent you more books, but I’m not sure when everything will arrive.

AHall80: Thanks, Rube. I appreciate it. My friends sent me a package last week. No books in it though.

AHall80: Hey I gotta go. I’ll message you again soon.

AHall80: Sorry for leaving so quick RubyMars: It’s okay. Take care!

AHall80: Thanks AHall80: Bye

March 8th

AHall80: Hey

RubyMars: Hey

RubyMars: How’s it going?

AHall80: Fine. Same old like always. You?

RubyMars: Eh. I’ve been better, but I’m okay.

AHall80: Eh? What’s the matter?

RubyMars: I got fired yesterday.

AHall80: What?

AHall80: From where?

RubyMars: From the dry cleaner place.

AHall80: Why? I thought your aunt was your boss.

RubyMars: She is.

RubyMars: Was. You know what I mean.

RubyMars: She fired me.

AHall80: Why? Because you got sick?

AHall80: I thought it was the other aunt you have beef with?

RubyMars: Sort of. Remember how I told you I was worried about being far behind on work, how she’d gotten someone else to do alterations while I’d been sick… and then how she hadn’t given me as much as she usually does recently? I thought I was being crazy, but it turns out she ended up finding someone else to “help” and this person is cheaper than me…