Every Saturday, I am going to post an anonymous letter to a person I used to know containing things I wish I said to them when I knew them. Things they never knew. This may turn out to be disastrous, but sometimes, you just have to let things out before you can let them go.
Today’s letter is to someone I knew while I was in college.
Dear Frat Boy,
You always did know how to make me smile, even when I didn’t want to. Especially when I didn’t want to.
You were the kind of guy I had spent my whole life trying to avoid, and somehow, I felt drawn to you. I felt connected to you. I wanted to believe there was someone deep, underneath the frat tanks, boat shoes, and colored shorts. Maybe it was that you reminded me of my brother. Maybe it was because I wanted to save you from yourself.
I met you at work.
You were extremely tall and lanky, kind of like a string bean with limbs. You reminded me of a Muppet. Not that that’s a bad thing; I always liked the Muppets. You looked goofy. You were goofy.
We became friends. Not best friends, but friends nonetheless. You were promoted. You became that guy I mentored. I helped you through your training, hoping that one day, you’d take it seriously.
You never did.
I saw how good you could be at your job. You were good with the people on your crews. Relatable. Understanding. Real.
But no matter how hard I tried to get you to continue to be that guy and not the guy you pretended to be, I couldn’t do it.
I think somewhere along the way, someone convinced you that you were a bad guy. You’re not a bad guy. I don’t know if you believe that or not, but I’ve seen you be good.
So, listen carefully because I’m only going to say this once. I know you’re a good guy, and for some reason, that scares you. So you act like an asshole so that no one knows who you really are. You lower their expectations to downplay your good and bad qualities. You let people believe you’re a shallow, stereotypical frat boy. But, you’re not.
No matter what you do and how much you suck, you will always be the guy who let me breakdown and cry in the elevator when I found out my mom had cancer on a shift. You will always be the guy who put his hand on my shoulder and stayed quiet the two floors up to my best friend. You will always be the guy who cracked dumb jokes when I needed a distraction from reality. You will always be that guy to me.
So, frat boy, wherever you are and whatever you’re doing, I hope you believe that you’re a good person. I hope that you can admit that you’re more than what people see. I hope you’re doing well.
Thank you for being there for me the day I needed someone the most. I don’t think anyone will ever understand that moment – maybe not even you will understand it. But, I do. So, thank you.
Sincerely,
Alyssa
Feature Image Courtesy of: Wellness Today
Alyssa Explains It All 