The Balance of Brothers

Canto IX: The Annual Family Roast

The Williams family reunion was a grand affair, held every year in the backyard of their parents' house. It was a day of laughter, food, and, for Dylan, humiliation. This year, he had vowed things would be different. He would not let Nick overshadow him. He would hold his ground. He would, for once, come out on top.Nick, of course, had other plans.---As the extended family gathered around the patio table, Nick stood at the grill, flipping burgers and cracking jokes that had everyone in stitches. Dylan sat nearby, arms crossed, waiting for his opportunity to interject with a brilliant philosophical insight. But Nick, as usual, was in control of the room."Remember when Dylan tried to fix the lawnmower?" Nick said, grinning as he flipped another patty. "He spent half an hour quoting Aristotle about the nature of tools before realizing it wasn't even plugged in."The table erupted in laughter, and Dylan's face turned red. "It wasn't about the lawnmower," he muttered. "It was about understanding the essence of utility.""Sure it was," Nick said, winking at their cousin Sarah. "But I'm pretty sure Aristotle would've plugged it in first."---As the meal progressed, Nick's stories only got worse. He recounted Dylan's failed attempt to assemble a bookshelf ("It's not crooked; it's postmodern!"), his disastrous stint as a volunteer tutor ("Apparently kids don't appreciate metaphysical explanations for long division"), and, of course, the infamous Peanut Butter Paradox."I think my favorite part," Nick said, leaning on the table, "was when Dylan tried to convince me that loosening the lid was a test of my reliance on predictable habits.""It was a valid experiment!" Dylan protested. "I was proving a point about human behavior.""And the point was?" Nick asked, grinning.Dylan hesitated, then muttered, "That you're annoyingly consistent."Nick laughed, raising his drink. "I'll drink to that."---As the afternoon wore on, Dylan's frustration reached a boiling point. The family was eating up Nick's stories, hanging on his every word, while Dylan's attempts to steer the conversation toward more "intellectual" topics fell flat."So," Dylan said loudly, trying to regain control, "what does everyone think about the role of ambition in modern society?"Nick didn't miss a beat. "Funny you should ask. I think ambition is great, as long as it doesn't involve sabotaging your brother with peanut butter."Another round of laughter. Dylan slumped in his chair, glaring at his plate.---After dessert, the family dispersed into smaller groups, some playing yard games, others lounging on the patio. Dylan wandered over to the grill, where Nick was tidying up."Why do you always do that?" Dylan asked, his voice low."Do what?" Nick replied, not looking up."Turn me into a joke," Dylan said. "You make me look ridiculous in front of everyone."Nick finally looked at him, his expression softening. "Dylan, I'm not trying to make you look ridiculous. I'm just having fun.""Well, it's not fun for me," Dylan muttered.Nick set down the spatula and crossed his arms. "Okay, listen. I know I tease you a lot, but it's not because I don't respect you. You're smart, you're passionate, and you care about things most people don't even think about. But sometimes, you take yourself so seriously that it's hard not to poke a little fun."Dylan frowned, unsure how to respond. He wanted to argue, to insist that his seriousness was justified, but something in Nick's tone stopped him."You know," Nick continued, "humility isn't just about admitting you're wrong. It's about learning to laugh at yourself. If you can't do that, you're going to spend your whole life being miserable."Dylan looked away, his mind racing. He hated to admit it, but Nick might have a point. Not that he'd ever say so out loud."Whatever," Dylan said finally. "You're still a jerk."Nick grinned, clapping him on the shoulder. "Maybe. But I'm a lovable jerk."---As the sun set and the family began to pack up, Dylan found himself sitting alone on the patio, watching Duke chase fireflies in the yard. For the first time that day, he allowed himself to smile.Maybe Nick was right. Maybe learning to laugh at himself wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. But he still wasn't ready to let Nick win completely."Next year," Dylan muttered, "I'm bringing a slideshow."