Conversations

I have been having these great conversations with my big brother lately. I have spoken more to him in the last 8 months than I have in the last 30 years, and that is no exaggeration. I didn't think he could talk for several years, because every conversation would go something like this:

Me: Hi Gene this is Malinda
Gene: yeah
Me: Well, I was wondering..blah blah blah
Gene: uh huh, later.

I never gave up hope, got very discouraged and hurt at times, but I never gave up. I had made a promise to my mother and my aunt that I wouldn't, one of those death- bed kind that would make you a bit nervous to not keep. It is so nice to be able to say, after all these years we have reconnected in the most entertaining way. We send packages back and forth and we have conversations that last for an hour or two. I guess after bottling it up for so long he has quite a bit to make up for and I must confess that I love to listen and participate. There are only a couple of people in my life that can make me laugh with their stories and he has now made it three.

He called last night and starts right off with...

Gene: hey, do you remember the mugs that grandma served us hot chocolate in?


That is the way most of our conversations begin..cool..so cool.
That may seem silly to most people, but when you have lost everyone in your life that shares "your " history these simple comments mean a great deal. My squeaky wheels began to turn and I thought and thought and then said something like..

Me: I remember the orange creamy looking ones.
Gene: Yeah, they had those and they looked like carnival glass. Grandma and Granddad would have coffee in those every morning.
Me: Ok, see I remember.
Gene: No, that was coffee. I asked you about hot chocolate mugs.
Me: Ok, you were 7 years older....I don't remember..give me a hint.
Gene: Yeah, guess what? I still am 7 years older..
Me: Ouch..don't think I would brag about that one.

Then we enter into Grandma and Grandpa stories and analyze our childhood. I have found such a wonderful friend. For the very first time, in a very long time, I reached for the phone on Easter morning to call someone besides my daughter. I was actually excited about some beautiful depression glass pieces that Gene had sent to me weeks earlier. As I was setting them about my table I just had to call and tell him how beautiful they were and to thank him again. He wasn't home and I was a bit disappointed. He leaves every holiday to be alone. He can't deal with crowds or holidays since Viet Nam, so I suspected that he would not be there.

Monday rolled around and the phone calls began again. They are warm, comforting and memorable ....I love my big brother, my hero ....my friend.