he was talking with his Dad
chewing the fat
getting caughtup
sharing what books they were reading
or intended to read
what was new with the family
conversation slipped to his
youngest brotherKids
a character
That kid’s a
character. his father echoing his
thought
which made him laugh
all his siblings
were
Ah But yaknow where tha came from
Came from? What?
What characters your children are
Careful, son.
I want you to rememberyou
were there, remember that your little brother fell off the slide at the family
picnic, landed on his head. You may also recall that the doctor said
children are bouncy, your brother had that going for him, but he warned there
may have been a brain injury that wasn’t apparent then, though may exhibit when
he was older.
I remember
But hes always been a bit touched
Are you really saying that about
your brother?
I am
Hes number eight Dad
Lemme say this Im number one I know full well that the attributes genetics
ifya woud tha entering this life I helped myself to the top shelf Im assuming that each an every of my siblings took
from whawas left As number eight
Id guess slim pickings
his father nodded as he spoke
There is that, son, there’s that.
But if I also may say
he waited maybe his father didnt want to hear hed spare him
Yes.
Me and my brothers and sisters weel
we didnt fall far from the apple tree
his nodding stopped
What are you implying?
Nothing I said it
Were characters because you an Maw are
characters
his nodding began again
although he didnt say
that which prompted the vignette was
his father telling him that his brother had spent an afternoon the past weekend
So he’s going to leave. I gave him a big hug
and a kiss. As he stepped back from me I said to him, you know, either I’m
shrinking or you’re getting bigger.
It’s you, Dad. It’s you.
The
kid’s a character.
they laughed
1303, Reggaefriday – John Lennon, 8 12.
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