Friday, June 27, 2008

o brother, where art thou?


This photograph sits on my piano -- next to our father's ashes. "Ours" because the photograph captures my brother and me at 2 and 4, or 3 and 5. (It doesn't really matter, but if you call my mother she can tell you -- right after you hear about the rubber boots, toy wagon, and serial chicken pox tales that every parent seems to use as sign posts of memory.)


I post the picture because it tells a little too much about me and it has a Mexico moral.


When most people see the photograph, they react as everyone does with childhood mementos. "Oh, how cute," they say. "The two of you must be very close." "Look how you are holding his hand."


We are close. But you cannot see it in this photograph. It has all the potential of a remake of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? There stands my dear innocent brother -- all blue-eyed and country naiveté.


And who stands next to him? If you look at those blank dark eyes, my guess would be the finalist to play Damien in The Omen. I hope my dad is watching these two boys. The one on the right worries me.


That was then. Now, my brother is one of my best friends. When I originally floated the idea of moving to Mexico, the move included my brother, his wife, their daughter, my mother, and me. Everybody else has dropped out. I am still going.


Personally, I think my brother and and I need an updated version of this photograph -- on the beaches of Melaque, the future home of our entire family.


And the Baby Jane eyes, we will simply leave in Oregon.

6 comments:

Islagringo said...

Since you don't say, I'm guessing the one on the right is you. It would appear as though there is a LOT you are not saying here. But then, I have a brother too who is 18 months older than I. I can just imagine the things that went on!

Also, I don't think your RSS linky thingy is working right. It says I haven't updated for 2 days, which we both know is wrong.

Islaholic Trixie said...

My mom would say, "Friends come and go, but family will always be there."

Steve Cotton said...

Yes. I am on the right -- figuring out some scheme to be an only child.

I suspect the RSS feeds are still a bit buggy.

jennifer rose said...

Someone has to be the pioneer. Moving to Mexico could provide the opportunity for you and your brother to be only children.

Babs said...

Hmmm, as Wayne says there is a LOT left unsaid........if it works for you like it worked for me, when you get to Mexico, it is like a whole NEW chapter of your life! And what I LOVE is I don't find it necessary to tell OTHER people who I used to be........ha.
By the way, it is a PRECIOUS picture!

Steve Cotton said...

I just talked with my brother. I do believe that his family may be leaning my way again -- moving to Mexico as a family may be a possiblity. He is awaiting my scouting report in mid-July.