The Stories

Siblings

I yelled at him. I screamed at him. I threw things at him.

Those were my mistakes.

He's gone...he's gone now. He's already off to college, off to a job, off to his own life.

The last time I saw him all I asked was if he wanted to play checkers with me. It was our game. Our game that we played as kids. I was a fool. I was twelve. It was the last day until he was going to college.

He didn't want to play. He was packing. I was angered. He'd rather pack to leave then play with me while we still had the time. I yelled at him, threw the checkers pieces at him.

I ran off to the park. Tears in my eyes. I sat at one of the benches. I breathed to catch my breath.

Then I heard it....the crying screech of a child. A boy at least four or three. It was on the bench next to me.

He cried to his mom who was holding a baby girl, at least one our nine months. He cried and screamed and pulled his little sister's hand. He cried for the baby to play with him at the park. He cried for her to play on the monkey bars. He cried for her....to just play with him.

The mom kept telling him she was too small. All the baby did was kick at him and yell. The boy was in tears.

I felt bad for him. Wanting to play with his sibling, even though she was too young.....wanting to play with a sibling, even when he is too old.

I started to cry. I realized what I did. I realized what have made me do that. I was angry. Just like the boy I was angry that he wouldn't always be there for me. I had to deal with it. Its life.

I walked home. As I went to go find my brother...to say the sorry I needed to say.

But when I got there...he sat at the table...checker prices in place. His bags weren't all fully packed. Even though he had other things to do, he had other stuff to do deal with, he set up our game board and said, "Are you ready to lose at our last game?"

"Your on!"