AUTHOR’S NOTE: this is a weird thing that happened that I remember some of what happened and it’s weird enough that I wanted to share. I started toying with a basic outline/synopsis and may try to turn this into a short story. Probably something dark and twisted where something awful happens to someone. Or maybe it’ll be a sunshine and rainbows story. But knowing me, it’ll probably go dark.
One day in spring of 1998 I got a card in the mail from someone I never met. I don’t remember their name because it’s not and never was important to me but for some reason I remember the email address she included in her note. Liberty48 at something dot com.
Why do I remember that detail from over 20 year ago but not why I went into the kitchen? I have no idea.
The contents of the card were baffling and was written like something from a 12-step program. It was awkward and spoke oddly of forgiveness. She claimed to know Gary and went on about how much he loved and missed me. We hadn’t spoken in almost 10 years by this point so unless he was trying to communicate telepathically there were no tangible signs to validate anything she was saying. By the end of the note I figured out that she must be his sponsor in some recovery program or they met at some odd church thing (see Malcolm in the Middle for another third-party communication attempt) or they were some level of friends or lovers.
I dismissed the note and didn’t think any more about it until I was bored at work one day and thought what the hell, I’ll email her and see what happens. Over the next month we emailed back and forth in what can be best described as reverse catfishing in that my stories were fantastical and wild but not at all true. I don’t remember specifics anymore but I do remember the stories about my career (such as it was at the time) and personal life were completely made up along with what my future plans and goals were. It was a good writing exercise and maybe that approach would help me get some or any of my writing projects moving forward.
In every message I included a plea to not share any of it with Gary and that it was just between us. This ensured that she would tell him everything out of some noble intent. I was right.
This went on until one evening the phone rang. My mother picked up the phone. It was Gary. The landline number had been the same from 1978 to approximately 2003 so it was not odd that he would still have it somewhere. I saw his call as validation that my plan worked.
I did not pass go. I did not collect $200. I walked out the door. Got in my car. And drove away. Probably to Barnes & Noble or Borders or someplace like that.
When I got home my mother was asleep so I didn’t get any details about the call until the next day. It was as expected. He thought everything I had said in my emails was true and I don’t remember what else she told me except that he left his number and really wanted to talk to me. I still had no desire. At this point, and especially today, it would be like calling a random stranger and trying to establish a meaningful relationship. It would be hella awkward.
The next day at work I sent one last email to whoever Liberty48 is and expressed my disappointment at her betrayal of my trust and informed her that nothing I had written her was true. I think she responded to that message but I deleted it and thus ended my brief career as an amateur catfishing troll .
It’s been over 30 years since I’ve seen Gary and over 20 since I’ve talked to him. Honestly don’t know if he’s still alive or not. Wouldn’t matter either way. At least Gary left before I was old enough to remember him being around at all. It’s hard to make yourself feel something for someone who was never there and you have no relationship with.