Dear Ragan,
You are the closest thing that I’ve ever had to a little brother. The first time that I met you was on the infamous trip to Rolla. That weekend, you turned 19. We all took turns playing drinking games and intentionally losing when we were your partner. I don’t see it as hazing, because we weren’t forcing you. There are a few things that I feel like I should tell you. Firstly, at that point in time, you were definitely more experienced than I in the drinking department. I was just bigger and more convincing. Secondly, you know how we drove in two cars? Arrick drove (and crashed) Josh’s car and I Josh drove…my car? Ever wonder the reason? I just got my license the day before and I still wasn’t the most comfortable driving on the highway. That also explains why I didn’t know that the car leaked oil and gas. Thus all of our clothes in the trunk smelling like gas. Then later running out of gas. I didn’t know that my low gas light actually said “check gauges”, so I didn’t know that we were low. Sorry about that.
One thing that amazes me was that we were study partners and that I was the one raising our GPA. Especially since our study sessions were spent watching movies.
I’m not sure why I tried so hard to give you a nickname. While “Ray Ray” never stuck, it got to the point where people addressed you equally as Ragan or Bacon. “It’s Bacon!” speaking of nicknames, how appropriate was it that the GoBot was stolen on April Fool’s Day? To this day, that is a prank that I wish that I would have though of. Then when you found the guy that stole it and he was Mexican.
“Why’d he have to be Mexican?” you asked me. “There’s not that many of us around here.” I couldn’t have made up a story that good.
Thank you for being a friend long enough to realize how good my advice to you was. About honesty, responsibility and adulthood. About stopping your parents from making all of your decisions and making some of your own.
Thanks for being the first couple to let me officiate your wedding. How crazy is it that we had to re-plan your whole wedding two days before you got married. Stupid floods. Stupid Reverend Andy losing your special magical marriage bell. One thing that I really wanted to say during the ceremony was how I refused to lie for you and tell Aurelia that you didn’t have a girlfriend. But despite the fact that you guys probably wouldn’t have cared, it would have gone over worse than my mismatched pants and jacket combo or my blessing of the meal.
My sister and her husband have a couple that they are friends with that it isn’t weird for them to hang out with, in any combination. Two guys, two girls, one of each, it doesn’t matter. Leigha and I came to the conclusion that you and Aurelia are that couple for us. There wouldn’t be any weirdness if I hung out with your wife or vice versa. Too bad we don’t live in the same state anymore. Oh well; one day.
Do you realize that out of everybody, you are the only one that I’ve written a letter like this to before? Up to that point in my life, I had never made an attempt to maintain a friendship after someone had moved away. I think that it is great that you moved for your wife’s education. And even cooler that you were able to start up a business of your own. Who knew that all of that pausing and adjusting during our movie nights would pay off?
There are only a handful of people that are lifetime friends and you are one of them. So, it only seems fair that you name one of your children after me. I’m not greedy; it can be a middle name.
Love,
Adam
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