"he was born at a very early age"

today another good man in my life has a birthday.
i don't talk about him much,
but he does exist.

he lived across the hall from me for many years
and we shared many grand adventures.
*we scrambled up mountains with no fear,
he always went the highest. 
*we took turns on family vacations
waiting for the car's a/c to drop frigid
ice water on our feet... then leaping
and yelping with glee.
*many times we stood in front of the lilac
bush for Easter pictures, dodging
and darting the bees, wondering who 
would get stung that year.
* he would let me up in the tree house,
but only if the boy cousins weren't there.  
*we "boxed" as kids...
he was on his knees,
giving me a great advantage.
:-)
*we watched sumo-wrestling
on grandmas tv. 
then skipped home to giggle
through our version of those
gentle giants. 
*we played wagon train in the pastures.
he always had the gun of course. 
and yes you can "circle" two wagons,
but cats do not make good cattle nor
stay in that circle.
*when neither of us was
legal driving age we explored 
the hills and two-track roads in
an old white  ford pick up.
anxious to see what was over the hill,
and just how high we could 
bounce off the seat if we went 
fast enough.
*i learned to drive with my 
knees watching him on the way to school.
*he was my protector as a young teen
when i might have been  was 'dragging main'
with some questionable characters,
or dancing with some non-english speaking guy
at the first dance mom ever let me go to. 
*i spent several summer nights hollering
"stay down! don't let him get around you.. punch it!" 
as he drove around and around and around
the dirt race track.
zipping in and out of cars passing them, 
finishing often in the top 3 places.
* we dined and hooted till tears ran down 
with in-numberable games 
of spoons or animal at the big 
farm table stretched to the max. 
* i can still see him dressed to the nines
for his daughters wedding. looking 
so handsome. 
* i have sweet memories of watching him
dance at my daughters wedding, 
with his daughter. 
* he recommended the surgeon who 
fixed my shoulder. 
*we even shared the same thoughts
and a few giggles when making the
arrangements for mom's funeral and 
later the headstone.
"mickey mouse ears are not for us." 
*we shake our heads in wonder
at our sweet but sometimes confusing
dad. thankful he's still around.

my lifetime of memories with 
the brother God and our parents gave me
are good.
happy birthday big brother.
i hope it's a good one.