Apple Core

Twenty Nine: Rashed

I sighed in relief. There it was, another way to occupy myself: talking to the only other person in this world besides me who had an unknown disease, unclassified as a disease but as a phenomenon. With a turn of luck that person wasn't an old woman, or a middle aged alcoholic divorced guy. It was a kid around my age, possibly still a college student.

I sent an email thanking Dr.Adder, then immediately decided to email Rashed. I didn't know how to start the email, though, so I settled with Hello, instead of Dear Rashed.

From: ClydeRedd_90@hotmail.com

To: Rasho0od_1986@hotmail.com

Hello. My name is Clyde Redd, and I was diagnosed with RMS, Retrievable Memory Syndrome. I'm sure you've heard of it; Dr.Adder gave me your email, telling me that we were the only two living people that had it.

I was hoping that we get to know each other better. Dr.Adder told me, when he gave me your email, 'It is always nice to meet people like oneself in the community'. I think he's right.

I also hope that you won't think I'm a serial killer who somehow knows you have RMS, and is lying to you cleverly in order to earn your trust then murder you.

Well that took an unexpected turn.

Sincerely,

Clyde Redd

I thought the serial killer part was too much and would probably make him delete the email as fast as humanly possible, but I still kept it. After sending it I felt my head spin due to the sudden flow of information, so I closed my eyes.

Before I knew it, I was curled up on the sofa next to the armchair, fast asleep, not a retrieved memory in sight. And when I woke up, Rashed had replied.

From: Rasho0od_1986@hotmail.com

To: ClydeRedd_90@hotmail.com

Hello. You will never know how happy you just made me, Clyde! I think Dr.Adder has never said a truer thing in his life.

All my life I've never been understood. All of my friends still thing it's an illness to some degree, and my parents still worry about me more than my other siblings. But you - you understand that it isn't an illness, it's a phenomenon. that there's nothing wrong with us.

Enough with the deep stuff. Is the '90' in your email the year of your birth? If so, it would make us almost the same age! How crazy were the odds of this ever happening?! I only found your email because I was researching something for college! Two guys, on different sides of the earth, finding out they've got the same superpower.

Speaking of the earth, where do you live? I'm from the UAE, by the way, short for United Arab Emirates. I live right in the middle of the city of Abu Dhabi, with enough traffic to last me a lifetime. I have two sisters and three brothers (big family, I guess). I've got two cute nephews and an adorable niece, too.

Okay, so this is turning out much creepier than the serial killer thing. I'm asking extremely personal questions. In the unlikely case in which you aren't scared away, please feel free to email me back.

Sincerely,

Rashed

I smiled to myself after a long yawn. So I was going to get some way to distract myself after all. I stretched a bit, rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, then sent an email back.

From: ClydeRedd_90@hotmail.com

To: Rasho0od_1986@hotmail.com

I'm glad to see that you weren't threatened by the whole serial killer thing. Which will make it easier to murder you (I'm kidding dude don't call the cops).