Tis Better to Have Loved...
Disclaimer: Same as before.
~ ~ ~ ~
JAG HQ, Fall's Church, Va.
Jennifer Coates blushed slightly when she read Rusty's letter. Sure they'd never seen one another face to face or even heard each other's voices but it was one of the nicest things she'd ever heard in a while.
"I see somebody's pen pal is choosing to up the ante." Harriet said to Jennifer as she walked by.
"Oh, I'm sorry ma'am, the files you requested are in my outbox." Jennifer replied.
"Don't be, just as long as you're doing your job," Harriet began, as she leafed through a file, finding it to her satisfaction, "And you are, it shouldn't be a problem. I wish my other volunteers for Operation Pen Pal were as happy with their assigned person as you are."
"Technically, ma'am, Rusty wasn't my assigned person. My letter for Sgt. Lewis Puckett got mixed up and sent to the Canadians." Jennifer replied.
"He seems like a nice guy, from what you say." Harriet replied, "What did he say this time?"
"Well ma'am, he said that, 'I refuse to believe a woman like you could remain single for long.' I take that as a compliment, and he at least finds me somewhat attractive." Jennifer replied.
Harriet got a smile on her face as she walked off; the short conversation with Coates was long enough to get ideas planted in her brain stem. As she walked by Harm and Mac who had observed the entire exchange, both of them recognized the scheming look on the face of a certain lieutenant.
"Now that we've gotten together it seems that Harriet's found someone else to play matchmaker for." Harm grinned, his right hand 'accidentally' brushing against Mac's.
"Harriet does love her matchmaking." Mac replied, "But whatever her pen pal wrote it had to be good to make Jennifer blush like that..."
~ ~ ~ ~
25 March 2002
Dear Rusty,
Your letter arrived yesterday and I absolutely loved it. I really think that is honestly one of the sweetest things I've read. I'm really sorry to hear about Melissa, honestly from reading what you've written me, she seems to be the real loser in this. I dated a guy named Chris for a couple years before meeting Tiner and my friends at JAG. He was pretty sweet at first then he started getting jealous and possessive of me, even started chasing off my friends that were guys. He even threatened Tiner when he came by my apartment two days ago. (Tiner was helping me move some furniture around.)
Anyway, he was really mad that I chose to leave him because of how he started to treat me. He gave me a bruise on the arm the night before I walked out on him before last Christmas, and that was enough for me.
Well, I hope you're alright. I've been reading the paper about Afghanistan and all the fighting going on. I'd really like to meet in person one day, if that's possible.
Sincerely,
Jennifer
~ ~ ~ ~
Kandahar, Afghanistan
"That lousy bastard!" Rusty exclaimed.
"This must be good." Sid replied as he joined Rusty with a metal tray full of the first fresh food the soldiers in the encampment had in days.
Rusty sighed, knowing Sid wasn't about to give up when he was curious about these things, "Her ex-boyfriend was a real loser. He bruised her arm pretty bad the night before she left him last December. He even threatened her best friend when he showed up at her apartment." Rusty replied.
"Somebody's getting protective here." Gus chimed in as he took a seat atop an empty ammo case next to Rusty and Sid.
"Wouldn't you get upset at a guy who left bruises on his girlfriend?" Rusty replied.
"Uh, not really, not unless I had a thing for the girl." Gus said, and a slow smile formed on his face.
"She's just a friend you idiot! I've never even talked to her face to face. For all I know that portrait could be a fake." Rusty replied, turning beet red.
"All the same, you've been carrying it about for the past few weeks." Sid replied.
"She's just a friend." Rusty protested.
"Yeah, but how many friends cause you to get all riled up whenever you hear about them having abusive boyfriends?" Gus added.
"Gus, what if the girl in question was your mother, your sister, your best friend...? You'd be pissed too." Rusty replied.
"Ah the sweet sounds of a man infatuated." Sid chuckled.
Rusty finished eating and went off to the shade of his favorite tree to write his response to Jennifer's letter. As much as he hated to admit it he hadn't felt this way about a woman in a long time, since Melissa. But this was different. He'd never seen Jennifer face to face; they'd only known each other through correspondence. It was just that Jennifer seemed so warm, so caring, so accessible despite the thousands of miles separating them.
~ ~ ~ ~
31 March 2002
Dear Jennifer,
Your letter arrived today. I really think you did the right thing leaving that scumbag Chris. It was his loss, not yours, because if he treats someone like you that way, he's a moron. An honest to goodness, general issue moron is what he is. Sorry, I'm rambling, but I really have a low opinion of guys who'd do that. I really think that a woman should be treated, well, like a lady. Opening doors for her, giving her a home cooked meal by candlelight every now and again, paying for her ticket and share of dinner should you eat out. That's how one should treat a lady.
Yeah I'm all for meeting someday. The trouble is I don't know when exactly we'll be relieved, but rest assured I'll let you know.
Sincerely,
Rusty
~ ~ ~ ~
TBC
Disclaimer: Same as before.
~ ~ ~ ~
JAG HQ, Fall's Church, Va.
Jennifer Coates blushed slightly when she read Rusty's letter. Sure they'd never seen one another face to face or even heard each other's voices but it was one of the nicest things she'd ever heard in a while.
"I see somebody's pen pal is choosing to up the ante." Harriet said to Jennifer as she walked by.
"Oh, I'm sorry ma'am, the files you requested are in my outbox." Jennifer replied.
"Don't be, just as long as you're doing your job," Harriet began, as she leafed through a file, finding it to her satisfaction, "And you are, it shouldn't be a problem. I wish my other volunteers for Operation Pen Pal were as happy with their assigned person as you are."
"Technically, ma'am, Rusty wasn't my assigned person. My letter for Sgt. Lewis Puckett got mixed up and sent to the Canadians." Jennifer replied.
"He seems like a nice guy, from what you say." Harriet replied, "What did he say this time?"
"Well ma'am, he said that, 'I refuse to believe a woman like you could remain single for long.' I take that as a compliment, and he at least finds me somewhat attractive." Jennifer replied.
Harriet got a smile on her face as she walked off; the short conversation with Coates was long enough to get ideas planted in her brain stem. As she walked by Harm and Mac who had observed the entire exchange, both of them recognized the scheming look on the face of a certain lieutenant.
"Now that we've gotten together it seems that Harriet's found someone else to play matchmaker for." Harm grinned, his right hand 'accidentally' brushing against Mac's.
"Harriet does love her matchmaking." Mac replied, "But whatever her pen pal wrote it had to be good to make Jennifer blush like that..."
~ ~ ~ ~
25 March 2002
Dear Rusty,
Your letter arrived yesterday and I absolutely loved it. I really think that is honestly one of the sweetest things I've read. I'm really sorry to hear about Melissa, honestly from reading what you've written me, she seems to be the real loser in this. I dated a guy named Chris for a couple years before meeting Tiner and my friends at JAG. He was pretty sweet at first then he started getting jealous and possessive of me, even started chasing off my friends that were guys. He even threatened Tiner when he came by my apartment two days ago. (Tiner was helping me move some furniture around.)
Anyway, he was really mad that I chose to leave him because of how he started to treat me. He gave me a bruise on the arm the night before I walked out on him before last Christmas, and that was enough for me.
Well, I hope you're alright. I've been reading the paper about Afghanistan and all the fighting going on. I'd really like to meet in person one day, if that's possible.
Sincerely,
Jennifer
~ ~ ~ ~
Kandahar, Afghanistan
"That lousy bastard!" Rusty exclaimed.
"This must be good." Sid replied as he joined Rusty with a metal tray full of the first fresh food the soldiers in the encampment had in days.
Rusty sighed, knowing Sid wasn't about to give up when he was curious about these things, "Her ex-boyfriend was a real loser. He bruised her arm pretty bad the night before she left him last December. He even threatened her best friend when he showed up at her apartment." Rusty replied.
"Somebody's getting protective here." Gus chimed in as he took a seat atop an empty ammo case next to Rusty and Sid.
"Wouldn't you get upset at a guy who left bruises on his girlfriend?" Rusty replied.
"Uh, not really, not unless I had a thing for the girl." Gus said, and a slow smile formed on his face.
"She's just a friend you idiot! I've never even talked to her face to face. For all I know that portrait could be a fake." Rusty replied, turning beet red.
"All the same, you've been carrying it about for the past few weeks." Sid replied.
"She's just a friend." Rusty protested.
"Yeah, but how many friends cause you to get all riled up whenever you hear about them having abusive boyfriends?" Gus added.
"Gus, what if the girl in question was your mother, your sister, your best friend...? You'd be pissed too." Rusty replied.
"Ah the sweet sounds of a man infatuated." Sid chuckled.
Rusty finished eating and went off to the shade of his favorite tree to write his response to Jennifer's letter. As much as he hated to admit it he hadn't felt this way about a woman in a long time, since Melissa. But this was different. He'd never seen Jennifer face to face; they'd only known each other through correspondence. It was just that Jennifer seemed so warm, so caring, so accessible despite the thousands of miles separating them.
~ ~ ~ ~
31 March 2002
Dear Jennifer,
Your letter arrived today. I really think you did the right thing leaving that scumbag Chris. It was his loss, not yours, because if he treats someone like you that way, he's a moron. An honest to goodness, general issue moron is what he is. Sorry, I'm rambling, but I really have a low opinion of guys who'd do that. I really think that a woman should be treated, well, like a lady. Opening doors for her, giving her a home cooked meal by candlelight every now and again, paying for her ticket and share of dinner should you eat out. That's how one should treat a lady.
Yeah I'm all for meeting someday. The trouble is I don't know when exactly we'll be relieved, but rest assured I'll let you know.
Sincerely,
Rusty
~ ~ ~ ~
TBC
