Poems & Stories

A Brother

"What do you mean I can't have a brother?" Eric couldn't believe what he was hearing. "But I need someone to play with. And make him my age. And no girls either." Eric's parents told him, "no" but he didn't think they really meant it. Who were they to decide that he couldn't have a brother anyway? So he asked again. But the long answer and the short answer both said, "no." And that was that.

The next day Eric's father brought home a puppy. Eric didn't want a puppy. He wanted a brother. Eric's mother invited the little boy from down the block to come over and play. Eric didn't want a neighbor kid to play with. He wanted a brother. Stevie, the little boy, and the puppy seemed to get along well. Eric said Stevie could keep the dog, so Stevie took him home. Eric's father wasn't happy. Stevie's father wasn't happy. Stevie was happy and he took good care of the puppy. But Eric wasn't happy. He still wanted a brother.

Later that week, Eric's father signed him up for the baseball team. Eric's mother signed him up for karate lessons. Eric didn't want to play baseball. Eric didn't want to learn karate. Eric wanted a brother. When it was time to go to baseball practice Eric said he didn't feel well. He got to stay home. When it was time for karate Eric said he was too tired. Eric didn't have to go. But really, he just didn't feel like doing those things without a brother.

Eric tried to play Frisbee. He threw it but there was no one there to catch it. Stevie could have, but he was busy with his new puppy. Eric wanted to play tennis. There was no one there to hit it back to him so he just hit the bright yellow balls into the garage door so they would bounce back. The puppy would have liked to chase the tennis ball. Eric wanted to ride his bike but it was no fun riding alone, so he'd ride one time around the block and then drop his bike on its side in the front yard. When he thought of a joke he had to tell his mother. She didn't always get his jokes. When he wanted help with something he'd ask his father. His father would try to help but would sometimes mess up whatever it was Eric needed help with. Sometimes it was better to not ask. Eric was sad. A brother would get jokes. A brother would be able to help. And Eric really, really, really wanted a brother.