with this boy in the back seat I didn't know,
wondered if he might be the brother
I'd never had. Later, I drove before he did,
gave him rides to swim practice,
movies. So handsome, a charmer
Daddy caught smoking who promptly
stopped, big grin covering all his sins.
Over the years we talked of
living in the woods, living off the land,
him and Fred bringing home the vittles,
me cooking it, keeping house.
Too young to think about the logistics
involved, the possibilities.
One date with him that Christmas
I was home from college, candlelit dinner,
awkward slow dance (he said I was leading)
hardly a kiss at all.
Instead of romance, we remained
as we began, sister and brother
separated by miles and years,
forever connected by love
and shared history.
(c) Ellen Gillette, 2012
Happy birthday to my favorite "little" brother...sure would love to see you one of these years!
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