MeMails: Haters Gonna Hate

Vintage hate mail, long before cyberbullying was a thing

As you can imagine, back in 2002 when I started a website asking people to help me pay off my credit card debt, I received a barrage of emails — some nice, some mean, and some just downright weird. Rather than replying to these messages in private, I decided to do it publicly and post them on my website. These “MeMails” (as I called them) ended up becoming a viral hit.

So without further ado, I present to you the very first MeMail. I often wonder whatever became of scarlett_turtle and if they ever got what they were looking for.

---

Date: July 10, 2002

From: scarlett_turtle

Subject: money to help you out

Hi Karyn,

A friend sent me your website and I read your story. It sounds like you're a nice person in a bad situation. It's soooo easy to let credit cards get the best of you. So, I'd like to send you $100 in exchange for sex. That's right SEX. If you have enough balls to ask for money, then I guess I have enough to ask for this. I know that $100 is kind of low, so I don't want to be insulting, but you didn't have a picture on your site so I can't tell if you're cute or not. If you send a picture and you're really cute, I may be willing to go as high as $1,000. Let me know.

From: Karyn

To: scarlett_turtle

First of all I'm cute, let's get that out of the way. I've also been referred to as HOT on countless occasions.

You see, I’m hard up for cash so I started a website called "Save Karyn" where I ask people who can feel my pain to give me a buck — because bucks are what I need. In return they get nothing.

But you seem to be hard up for sex, because you just offered to pay me for some. You didn't even ask if I'd do it for free. I told people straight out that they weren't going to get anything in return for giving me a dollar. The most exciting thing they can do is watch my debt shrink, read some "Daily Bucks" or perhaps this e-mail from you.

So my advice to you is this: start a website. It's helped me, maybe it can help you too. Call it "Save the Scarlett Turtle" and just straight out ask people for sex. I've gotten some bucks — you just might get yourself a nice piece of ass.

Anyway, gotta run and pay a bill. Take care and good luck. Tell all your friends about my website! Maybe we can put links from mine to yours and vice-versa.

XOXO, Karyn