Free Notes from the Life of a Total Genius by Stacey Matson Page B

Ipo ([email protected])
    To: Arthur Bean ([email protected])
    Sent: December 26, 15:32
    Hey, Arthur!
    Merry Christmas buddy! Hope you got some great stuff. My parents got me this sweet new mountain bike. I’m really into mountain biking right now. I was basically shredding the mountain every day this past summer and I rode my bike until it was basically falling apart. So now I have the best bike out there. Can’t wait until spring! Do you ride? I bet you’d love it. You can have my old bike if you want. It’s basically a beginner bike, but it’s still really expensive and pretty great.
    Don’t know if you’re in town, but Rob and I are going to a movie tomorrow. Thought you should come. Like old times last year, all three of us in the AV Club!
    Let me know!
    Von
    Are you seriously going to hang out with Von?
    ya
    Why?
    he asked me 2
    Well, good luck with that. He’s still as annoying as ever. Maybe more.
    never really botherred me
    u kno, if u werent so snobby u could have more friends
    Dude, I have plenty of friends.
    ya, ok. and since were lying now, here comes my new girlfriend selena gomez! gotta go!

    December 27th
    Dear RJ,
    Well, I’m glad that’s done. What is it about Christmas that makes it so crappy? I know that part of it is that my mom isn’t here, and she was so into Christmas, and I miss her a lot, but it’s not just that. I even try and get into the Christmas spirit, and I pretend to be happy about it, but I’m really not.
    Maybe I’m too old for Christmas. I want to be super excited, but there’s never anything really fun to do after we’ve opened presents. All I got was some camping gear from my dad, a sweater and a book from my grandparents and a computer program. The camping gear is cool, but I can’t use it for another six months. I’ve already read the book, so I have to return it. Everyone just sat around Grandma’s living room all afternoon watching a movie. I wanted to go do something else, but because it was Christmas, it feels like we’re supposed to spend all day together. Grandpa suggested cross-country skiing, but I’m pretty sure I would hate that, and we didn’t have equipment anyway.
    It’s like Christmas is this big thing that you look forward to for a month, and then it comes and it’s just another day, but weirder. There are no toys to play with or be excited about. There’s no magic anymore. It’s a reminder of the big, gaping hole that my mom left behind, and even watching
Home Alone
can’t fix it.
    I wonder if other kids feel the same way. I also wonder if Kennedy wrote me back yet. I’m going to go check.
    Yours truly,
    Arthur Bean

    December 28th
    Dear RJ,
    So I get back to Calgary, and Robbie invited Von to join us to hang out tonight! Why would he do that? He knows how much I can’t stand that guy! I’m tempted to not even go over there, but Robbie leaves first thing Monday morning, so if I don’t go, I’ll be sitting at home alone on a Saturday night while my best friend hangs out with my nemesis.
    Why does Von have to be everywhere? He’s so keen to hang out with me, and I don’t know why. I wish he would find other friends. He says he’s so popular, so why can’t he hang out with those people? And why do only people I don’t like want to be my friend?
    Yours truly,
    Arthur Bean
    From: Arthur Bean ([email protected])
    To: Kennedy Laurel ([email protected])
    Sent: December 28, 23:00
    Dear Kennedy,
    Cheesecake Café has a peppermint bark cheesecake! I saw it when I was there with friends tonight, and I thought of you. I know you love peppermint bark, and I remember you said that the Cheesecake Café was your favourite place. It’s like your dream come true!
    I’m sure it’ll be around for a little bit longer, so let me know if you want to go sometime with me and a bunch of my friends!
    Yours truly,
    Arthur Bean

    December 30th
    Dear RJ,
    The only invitation I got for New Year’s Eve was from Von, and I’m