Memories Never Made

I blame you, Mike.

Most everyone who reads this will understand the background but I'll lay it out here anyway. So there's this internet forum and there's a daily question to ponder sort of thing. Now, seven times in ten, the questions are not all that deep, but today was a "three in ten" kind of a day, and it is all Mike's fault.

He was the one who posed this: "Thinking back through your life, what one memory would you share with your significant other, that they could not experience firsthand?"

And my very first, from the hip, direct from the gut response was "meet my brother". Which is ridiculous because I don't have a brother. I had one once ... for all of just over 730 days. So I have NO idea who my brother was.

I was four years old last time I saw him. I don't even have any real memories of him, aside from the one story that I have shared so many times that it became a real memory. There was a time when I could feel his hand in mine. There was a time when I knew the shape of his glasses. When I knew the color of his shirt. There was a time when I felt him standing next to me. But - if I were being truthful, I don't think I really "remember" any of it anymore.

I'm sorry - I know that makes no sense. But have you ever been told of something you did as a kid by an older family member so many times that you THINK you remember it? It's a little bit like that, I guess.

Anyway, in taking the original question - in which we're asked to take someone in our present and bring them with us to our past, I, without hesitating, took someone from my past, and brought him to my present.

Because answering the question my way means I would get to know my brother. As an adult. He'd be in his late 30s now. I wonder if he'd live nearby. I wonder if we'd be close. If he'd be someone I could talk about cars with ... or if we'd have the same love of football. I wonder if he would have gone to college. I wonder what his laugh would sound like. I'll bet that his whole face would change when he smiled. I think he'd have contacts by now. I wonder if I'd like his wife/girlfriend/life partner. I'll bet he and my guy would hang out without my even knowing it. I can see me calling him and having him say "oh - sorry but this is a 'no girlfriends/older sisters' night".

Yep ... it's all your fault, Mike. It was your question, after all.

And I thank you for it.

"Big Whiskey" Rocks

Yesterday I picked up "Big Whiskey & The GrooGrux King" from Dave Matthews Band. Today I am suggesting you do the same.

It's a "chill and just snuggle" listen.
It's an "I can read to this" listen.
It's a "background music while cleaning the kitchen" listen.
It's a "music to drive with" listen.

Not every track will be your new favorite ... but I'll bet you'll find one or two in there.

If ya' ARE a fan, let me know whatcha' think. For me, this was worth the wait. And if you aren't a DMB fan? Well then - maybe next Tuesday will be YOUR rockin' Tuesday.

June

It was the last day of school.
It was forgetting the locker combination ... on purpose.
It was my father's birthday.
It was my aunt's birthday.
It was father's day.
It was the first day of Summer (and the loooooooongest day of the year).
It was my birthday.
It was when cousins (or children of friends of the family) graduated from schools.
It was when friends of the family (or cousins) got married ... uh, not to each other.
It was when berries ripened.
It was polliwogs in the creek.
It was when sleeping on the hammock or the porch was not just allowed but ENCOURAGED.
It was when curfews were relaxed.
It was sleepovers.
It was beach bonfires.
It was sunburns.
It was endless games of tag - and foursquare - and volleyball.
It was river rafting trips.
It was washing the car just to cool off.
It was sleeping in late ... after going to bed late.
It was music from mixed tapes.
It was homemade lemonade.
It was ice-cold melon for breakfast.
It was outdoor concerts.
It was mosquitoes.
It is spending time with the man I love ... for all the rest of my Junes.