Happy Birthday, Sherry!
For Sherry, on the occasion of her birthday...
"Riggins--mail."
Tim looked up from the laundry he was folding to find Ramirez standing at the door with a handful of colored envelopes. Mail call was usually at 4 pm before they went down for supper.
"Must be your day o' birth," Ramirez said, his face cracking into a slight smile.
Prison was nothing like Tim had expected. Sure, there were guys who were assholes and messed with him. And there were a couple guys like Ramirez, who actually still had some social skills, but mostly prison was boring. The days stretched out like the scrub land around Dillon--nothing for miles and miles.
"Riggins?"
Tim looked up from his thoughts. "Yeah. Thanks." He took the cards from Ramirez' outstretched hands.
The names on the return addresses were familiar. Billy and Mindy. Mindy's mom. Tyra. Coach and Mrs. Taylor.
He flipped the last one over. The handwriting was unfamiliar, but the address said New Jersey. He opened that one first.
Tim-
Didn't think they'd appreciate me sending you Billy's pool stick as a gift, so instead know that I'm thinking of you friend and missing you a bunch. Noah's growing so much every day--you wouldn't even recognize him.
I've known you for a long time, Riggs and you're gonna get through it. And when it's over, I'm gonna deliver your real present in person. Take care of yourself and remember that we're in this together. Texas Forever, Tim. Never forget that.
Jason
PS - Had to get my assistant to address this--not sure this new handwriting is US Postal approved.
Tim looked at the unfamiliar chicken scratch, envisioning Jason working over the short message. Right now it did feel like Texas Forever--Texas State Pen Forever. But at night when he went to sleep he usually was visited by a vision of the sun setting golden and red over the land outside Dillon--the place where he knew his Forever would be.
"Riggins--mail."
Tim looked up from the laundry he was folding to find Ramirez standing at the door with a handful of colored envelopes. Mail call was usually at 4 pm before they went down for supper.
"Must be your day o' birth," Ramirez said, his face cracking into a slight smile.
Prison was nothing like Tim had expected. Sure, there were guys who were assholes and messed with him. And there were a couple guys like Ramirez, who actually still had some social skills, but mostly prison was boring. The days stretched out like the scrub land around Dillon--nothing for miles and miles.
"Riggins?"
Tim looked up from his thoughts. "Yeah. Thanks." He took the cards from Ramirez' outstretched hands.
The names on the return addresses were familiar. Billy and Mindy. Mindy's mom. Tyra. Coach and Mrs. Taylor.
He flipped the last one over. The handwriting was unfamiliar, but the address said New Jersey. He opened that one first.
Tim-
Didn't think they'd appreciate me sending you Billy's pool stick as a gift, so instead know that I'm thinking of you friend and missing you a bunch. Noah's growing so much every day--you wouldn't even recognize him.
I've known you for a long time, Riggs and you're gonna get through it. And when it's over, I'm gonna deliver your real present in person. Take care of yourself and remember that we're in this together. Texas Forever, Tim. Never forget that.
Jason
PS - Had to get my assistant to address this--not sure this new handwriting is US Postal approved.
Tim looked at the unfamiliar chicken scratch, envisioning Jason working over the short message. Right now it did feel like Texas Forever--Texas State Pen Forever. But at night when he went to sleep he usually was visited by a vision of the sun setting golden and red over the land outside Dillon--the place where he knew his Forever would be.