Today is my brother's birthday. He would have been 59. It's his first birthday without him. It feels pretty crappy.
I took my mom out to lunch. I wanted to do something for her. Food is always good for simultaneously filling you up and stuffing you up. On the drive home, she said, "He didn't live very long, did he. Lee was the best thing that ever happened to him. Lee and the kids."
True.
After he died, my sister-in-law – that's Lee – gave me one of his Coca Cola glasses. I've been filling it with pennies ever since, and now it's almost full. I thought I should do something meaningful with them, but they're just sitting on my dresser. I'll play with them, I think. Clint played with his pennies, some game no one could ever figure out. When I was a kid, I thought he was just screwing around and whenever you thought you figured out what he was going to do next, he told you that you were wrong just so you couldn't figure it out.
Today is also my nephew's birthday. I'll call him.
3 comments:
Kia ora Amy,
I stumbled upon your blog when I hit the name Paul Cebar on my music list. And I have really enjoyed reading your posts. I grew up in Wisconsin, and graduated from the UW back in 84, and have lived in New Zealand for 15 years now.
My condolences about your brother. I lost my brother 15 years ago and still miss him. It must be tough on your mom as he is always still her baby.
I love Paul Cebar! I think I might perhaps be the only person in New Zealand with all his cd's. Have a great day.
Ka kite ano,
Robb
it's always hard to know what to do on those awkward and sad anniversaries. my brother's birthday was june 11; he would have been .... oh i don't know. 60-something. he was 18 when he died, so he'll always be 18 to me.
taking your mother to lunch was a very nice thing to do. my family just tends to avoid the subject.
Robb, thanks for visiting. Ya hey dere! I gave a young Australian friend a copy of one of Paul Cebar's CDs when she visited a few years ago. I'm not sure it was her style, but maybe she'll give it to her parents and there will be some Cebar spreading. Where in Wisconsin are you from?
Laurie, I think it's too hard to avoid a subject like that. Everyone is thinking about it in some manner, anyway. Might as well bring it up.
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