Today I am thankful for my goofball brother. He's a great kid (er, soon to be adult) and I'm so proud of him.
Most children on their third birthday get toys or maybe clothes. I'm sure I got those things as well, but I also got a little brother. This is a concept that is remarkably difficult to explain to other people. Some don't seem to understand that yes we have the same birthday, but no we're not twins, yes that is possible, no we're not lying so we can both get free ice cream. Sheesh.
Growing up, I didn't know too many sibling pairs that got a long too well (some I knew of absolutely loathed each other) but for some reason after Tapeworm and I got past elementary school (those were dark days, I tell you) we actually enjoyed spending time with each other. Maybe it was the together-ness of our childhood that made us so close. In addition to having the same birthday and thus combined family parties (can you blame them?), we spent a lot of time (I emphasize a lot) on the road back and forth to that old blue house in New York. Perhaps it was forced company, or that our parents would have probably dropped us off at a rest stop and left us there if they had to deal with bickering kids for fourteen hours, either way we've grown up fairly close.
It's only been in the past few years that I've realized just how much I appreciate the relationship I have with my brother, he's one of my best friends. I love our random conversations and just hanging out together. I also love our shenanigans. Recently we were walking out of Target and decided to skip to the car (is that really that surprising?) so we did. And people were staring at us. And laughing. I think I commented something to that effect that people were laughing at us. Without missing a beat, both of us said, "It wouldn't be the first time." Yeah, brain twins.
Tapeworm and I also have a lot of interests in common, which might account for the sibling bond thing. I've never been the super girly type, at least not since I was really little and Tapeworm used my barbies as guns (don't ask). Anywho, we're both fans of being outdoors. Camping, biking, you name it. We have a healthy interest in classic cars (if one is spotted on the road, it effectively halts any conversation we're in for the purposes of drooling), guns, and anything that involves explosives (*pyromaniac gleam*). Also, if you know either of us, you probably know that karate is slightly important to us. And when I say slightly, I mean it's like number three after sleeping and eating. Yeah, it basically rocks. We get quite the *kick* out of practicing on each other whether it's in class or at home (do you get my joke? kick? ha? yeah I fail).
I said Tapeworm is a great kid before, and I wasn't lying. I'm really proud of him. It's been cool to see him grow from being a goofy little kid to being a remarkably responsible young man (okay he's still a goofball, but that's not such a bad thing). He earned his Eagle Scout rank this year in Boy Scouts, which is Boy Scout lingo for the highest honor you can get in the scouting world. He was awarded the Eagle mentor pin at another boy from his troop's Eagle ceremony recently. Wait, my crazy brother a role model? While that might strike a note of concern, I know he's earned it. He's a great person and he's going places.
So whether we're just chilling and watching Chronicles of Riddick, beating on each other, or preparing for the Zombie apocalypse (it's coming), I know my bro and me got each other's backs. I couldn't have asked for a better little brother. Love ya, man.
Oh ho, 17 Days to Thanksgiving!
Signed,
RF
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