Dear Adam (10 page)

From: Eden E

Date: Mon, Aug 6, at 10:37 AM

To: Adam -

Yes, we'll be parents to baby binary
codes.

I rarely drink. Nor do I smoke.

Boxing.

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From: Adam -

Date: Mon, Aug 6, at 10:39 AM

To: Eden E

Baby bookish binary codes, get it right my
dear.

I have boxed (trained not fought) since I
was 15.

Are you bleeding then, is that the reason
for your upside down stomach?

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From: Eden E

Date: Mon, Aug 6, at 10:45 AM

To: Adam -

You can be so sharp and yet so obtuse! I
guess it's because you're not an excitable person. I became
nauseated the moment I read the word "Skype."

So you've never fought anyone, inside or
outside the ring?

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From: Adam -

Date: Mon, Aug 6, at 10:47 AM

To: Eden E

Sharp, OK. Obtuse, explain? I am not
excitable, in any way.

My mentioning Skype made you feel nauseated?
That is a shame, I hope you are in good order now.

I have fought people, many times, especially
when I was younger, but never in a ring.

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From: Eden E

Date: Mon, Aug 6, at 10:52 AM

To: Adam -

Nope, still nauseated.

What were you fighting for?

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From: Adam -

Date: Mon, Aug 6, at 10:56 AM

To: Eden E

OK, now I have to ask, because it's becoming
increasingly frequent, you keep avoiding questions. Obtuse?

Fighting for a plethora of reasons. I've not
been in a physical conflict for years, however.

Why so nauseated?

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From: Eden E

Date: Mon, Aug 6, at 11:00 AM

To: Adam -

I thought you were obtuse because you
couldn't figure out that I was nauseated at the thought of a
conversation with you. That's a horrid sentence which doesn't
really mean what it sounds like. My explanation is getting worse so
I'll stop here.

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From: Adam -

Date: Mon, Aug 6, at 11:04 AM

To: Eden E

I think what you're trying to say is that
you found the prospect daunting? I assure you, I will put you at
ease.

When you made your voice recoding you said
in so many words that our interaction was making you happy, is that
still the case?

I'm preparing fish.

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From: Eden E

Date: Mon, Aug 6, at 11:09 AM

To: Adam -

Not daunting. I'm scared that this thing
that exists here, in words, in exchanges of voices, what keeps me
in suspense until my inbox becomes bolded - is not real.

Do you laugh? Or are you one of those people
who smile at something funny or open your mouth but no sound comes
out?

Yes.

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From: Adam -

Date: Mon, Aug 6, at 11:11 AM

To: Eden E

Well, it certainly is real. What "it" is I
don't know, but real it is.

I do laugh, though it's rare. I have a wry
smile usually. If I do laugh, it's around those I trust. When I was
younger, some old friends nicknamed me "happy" for not laughing
much.

I think you need to remain calm. Whatever
will be, will be. What I do know is we have a great deal in common
and we find it very easy to communicate with each other. Rarities
I'd say.

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From: Eden E

Date: Mon, Aug 6, at 11:19 AM

To: Adam -

Oh, no. I love to laugh. This could be a
serious impediment.

What kind of fish? How are you preparing it?
Is the neighbor's dog around? Tell me what it looks like where you
are.

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From: Adam -

Date: Mon, Aug 6, at 11:26 AM

To: Eden E

Not at all. There is a difference between
laughing and having fun. And appreciating the humour in something
doesn't need to be expressed always with a bellow.

Sea bass, lightly fried, with asparagus and
some minted new potatoes. Basic today, I'm afraid. No dog, yet.

At the moment I am looking out of the
kitchen windows and I can see the olive groves and sweeping hills,
dry from all the sun. About 20 minutes ago a man walked past with a
donkey and a cart, a salami strapped to his belt. I'd like to grow
grapes but I haven't the foggiest where I'd begin.

If I am slow to reply I may be eating.

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From: Eden E

Date: Mon, Aug 6, at 12:07 PM

To: Adam -

Do you cook every day? Is this where you
live most of the year?

Did you shave today - your face, I mean. Do
you have a stubble?

Do you have scars? Tattoos?

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From: Adam -

Date: Mon, Aug 6, at 12:46 PM

To: Eden E

I cook every day, unless I have a dinner
meeting. Some weeks that can be many days, others only 1 or 2.

I only really moved here a few months ago,
so I'm not officially established yet.

I normally shave my head and face every day.
My hair grows quickly. I did so today; however, the three days
prior I didn't, and my face looked like a gorilla.

No tattoos. Plenty of scars.

How is your day going?

When was the last time you were in a
relationship?

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From: Eden E

Date: Mon, Aug 6, at 1:01 PM

To: Adam -

Why do you use a razor and not an electric
shaver?

I want to know about your scars.

Being a Monday, it's busy. My nausea's
subsided so I was able to eat some rabbit food.

My last relationship ended 2 1/2 months
ago.

I'm going for my lunch walk now.

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From: Adam -

Date: Mon, Aug 6, at 1:04 PM

To: Eden E

Electric shavers are useless.

There are many, each one with its own story.
Select a part of the body and I'll tell you a story.

Glad to hear the nausea subsided and you're
back to "eating" - if it could be called that. I would like to feed
you a proper meal.

What happened in your relationship? How long
did it last?

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From: Eden E

Date: Mon, Aug 6, at 2:24 PM

To: Adam -

Your hands.

We had a disagreement. It lasted 2
months.

When was your last relationship and how long
did that last?

A chat screen suddenly popped up in the
corner of Eden's web browser.

From: Adam

Date: Aug. 6

Subject: Chat with Adam -

To: Eden E.<@bookbohemian.com>

Adam: Are you there? I don't really know
what I'm doing but I'm trying this.

Eden: This is interesting.

Adam: My hands, there are scars from being
hit by a car and when I hit the ground it caught the back of my
fingers.

Adam: My last relationship was two years
ago. It lasted just under 3 years.

Adam: What was the disagreement?

Eden: Must I say? You tell me first why
yours ended and then I'll go.

Adam: I was having a difficult time in my
life, financially and personally.

Adam: My close friend, he was 27, died of a
heart attack.

Adam: It was a tough time, and instead of
supporting me, she slept with a mutual friend we had.

Eden: I feel terrible. I'm sorry I forced
you to reveal all that.

Adam: Don't be. It doesn't cause me any
sadness now.

Adam: Well, my friend passing still does but
those two? Nothing.

Eden: Mine seems quite petty, but it hurt a
lot at the time.

Adam: Tell me.

Eden: It's going to sound as if I didn't try
hard enough, but believe me, I had reasons for doing what I
did.

Eden: To sum it up: We were having a really
stupid argument over the phone and he said, "Either you see me
tomorrow night or we're breaking up."

Eden: He wouldn't budge. So we broke up.

Adam: You mustn't have been right for each
other then.

Eden: I guess.

Eden: How about your chest? Any scars
there?

Adam: Yes.

Adam: What made you ask that?

Eden: I don't know. Do you not want to
say?

Adam: I have one there.

Eden: And?

Adam: But that one is for another time.

Adam: At the very least, I would only
explain it by voice.

Eden: You don't want me to ever see your
face, do you?

Eden: Sometimes you have a tone as if you
know something that I don't.

Adam: What is the relevance of that
question?

Adam: And it's not true. And I'm sure I know
plenty you don't know.

Eden: I mean that you know something about
this thing, whatever it is, that I don't.

Eden: You're not typing. That means you're
thinking, censoring what you're about to type.

Adam: What thing?

Adam: Stop over thinking my dear. I wasn't
thinking.

Adam: I was changing my music to Thelonious
Monk.

Eden: I have to print something out and then
I'll be back. So you have time.

Adam: OK.

Eden: Do you ever listen to your
intuition?

Adam: Often, but I don't always follow
it.

Adam: So what's this paranoid conspiracy
theory you want to project upon me?

Eden: Is your intuition not very accurate
then?

Adam: It is, often, but intuition is not
rooted in fact. It's rooted in emotion.

Adam: It can be an accurate prediction but
there are always multiple potential outcomes in a situation.

Eden: You don't consider yourself an
emotional person?

Eden: You keep a pretty cool head most
times? All the time?

Adam: Most of the time.

Adam: I am passionate

Adam: Not emotional

Adam: I am composed

Adam: Not rigid.

Adam: You follow a pattern:

Adam: Ask questions

Adam: Get answers

Adam: Then ignore my questions.

Adam: Typical woman.

Adam: Enter smiley :)

Eden: I am not "bleeding" right now.

Eden: But I will be in a week or so.

Eden: So I'm liable to take offense at
anything and everything.

Eden: Typical woman.

Eden: Enter bared
fangs
' '

Adam: Haha, noted.

Adam: I was going to ask you about that
anyway so I can put it in my calendar and conveniently lose my
internet connection.

Adam: So your intuition is telling you I am
keeping something huge from you and I am somehow misleading you,
right?

Eden: My intuition is telling me that not
everything is what it seems.

Adam: Nothing is ever what it seems. But in
our case, I've been straight with you thus far.

Adam: Say HELLO if you see this sentence
please

Eden: HELLO if you see this sentence
please

Adam: Ok thanks (moved from Mac to
iPad).

Adam: But having never used this I wasn't
sure if I set it up right on my iPad.

Adam: So, back to me being an axe
murderer.

Eden: Since we're not face-to-face, I can't
really tell if you mean me harm.

Eden: If you did, I'd feel chills in the
back of my neck.

Adam: I don't mean you harm.

Adam: Why did you tell me about your
thighs?

Eden: Because you were talking about
legs.

Adam: True indeed. Thighs are important to
me in a woman.

Adam: I was surprised you made the comment
is all.

Eden: Well then, there's more.

Eden: They're quite hairy.

Adam: I wear contact lenses.

Adam: Sarcasm or serious?

Eden: I wear glasses most times. Contacts
other times.

Adam: Well?

Eden: Are you worried about my hirsute
thighs?

Eden: Will your internet connection "fail"
tomorrow?

Adam: Haha, I'm not worried but I'd like to
know.

Adam: Though now I believe you were being
sarcastic.

Eden: Ever see Star Wars - Chewbacca?

Adam: I've never seen any Star Wars films.
But I'm picturing a hairy alien

Eden found a Google image of Chewbacca and
sent it via chat. Adam replied with a voice message of an
exaggerated whisper, “Sexy”, which made Eden burst with a
laugh.