"Love Thy Brother"

As I was growing up in Florida, I did so with three brothers. My eldest brother's name was Ronnie and he was six years older than me. Now, Ronnie and I didn't have too much in common other than our birthright because there were too many years that gapped our ages.

My youngest brother's name is Terry, he is nine years younger than I. Again, as with Ronnie, there wasn't much in common we had as children. Oh of course I loved him because he was, after all, my brother but other than begging Mom to make him quit following me around or the times I sat with him when she went somewhere, I wouldn't have known he was around.

Then there was Jerry. Now, Jerry was just three years older than I and we really used to get into some knock down, drag out fights as kids. I mean we couldn't pass one another in the hallway without a name being slurred or a punch or two exchanged. Yes, Jerry and I gave new meaning to the term sibling rivalry.

I can't remember more than one time our mother ever, seriously, punished us for anything. Once she told me to clean my room before I went out to play and I said, "I don't have to!" I found out quickly I did and that was the end of the conversation.

It was the same with Jerry as best as I can remember. Now Dad, on the other hand, was a different situation all together. We all tried to walk the line with him even though he never touched us. It was just the threat of what he could do if he wanted to that was enough to keep us in line. In fact, it only took "the look" to do it in most cases. I'm sure there are a lot of you who used to get "the look" so I know you understand, all too well, what I'm talking about.

Early in the mornings when we got ready for school was the worst possible time of day to throw Jerry and I in the same room together. Neither one of us were morning people to begin with but the only time of day we were forced to have to look at one another was at our breakfast. Dad would have already left for work, Ronnie was out of school, Terry was too young for school so that left only Jerry and I at the kitchen table that time of morning.

"Creep!" He'd address me under his breath so Mom couldn't hear.

"Goofy!" I'd return.

Now, I know Goofy wasn't very original but I used to think he looked like Walt Disney's Goofy and I couldn't resist the chance to tell him so any and every chance I got, it was part of the routine we'd go through each day.

"I hate your guts!" He'd fire.

"YEAH...well, I hate your guts more than you hate mine!" I'd always reply. I told you I wasn't very original, I didn't seem to be able to think on my feet as quickly as Jerry could.

"OKAY, I'm tired of this every morning." Our mom would say without fail. "From now on, every morning, you will tell each other how much you love instead of how much you hate...is that understood?"

HORRORS UPON HORRORS! Ask us to lop an arm off at the elbow, ask us to slide down a giant razorblade into alchol but don't...please don't ask us to say "I love you." It would go against everything we had come to believe about one another for all those years...NO, don't make us do that!

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