A brother is a brother forever

I recently read magazine article on how to rear the perfect child. The author claimed modern children have many choices to make and should be guided to make the right ones.

Any mother knows children have had choices to make since the whole Cain and Able thing…

Growing up in pre-air-conditioned Florida I had all kinds of choices to make.

I could choose to go out side and play in the cool water with my younger brothers or stay inside complaining how hot and bored I was until my mother found something constructive for me to do, usually involving not -so-cool water and a mop.

When they were wrinkled and bored I could choose to allow my brothers to tag along with my friends and I or chase them back home knowing they would tattle.

When the inevitable tattling occurred I could choose to clean the bathroom or hang a load of clothes on the line before spending the rest of the afternoon alone in my room sans television or radio.

Alone in my room I could choose to lie on the cool floor reading comic books, or position myself next to the window with a big pitcher of water and wait for my brothers to press their faces into the screen and snicker at me.

I could choose to face my mothers angry eyes and crossed arms in wide-eyed innocence and declare I had no idea how the poor darlings got all wet, or suggest since they were wet anyway perhaps they would like to play under the sprinkler in the back yard.

Even at my advanced vintage I still have choices concerning my siblings.

I can choose to harbor ill will and close the communication window, or throw it open and welcome any and all moments we spend together.

Extending an invitation to come down so we can spend time together for no special reason I had to follow it up with a few nagging phone calls before a brother agreed. I’m surprised at how giddily I’m waiting.

The price of a good sturdy two gallon pitcher raised my eyebrows a bit also…