He was the first to join me in the ranks of sibling hood

Two years my junior, we shared holidays and suckers

We nurtured the two that came after and showed them

The ways of the world of brothers and sisters.

 

As teens we tolerated each other which was par for the course

He had his interests, I had mine.

“Your brother’s the one with the fro” they’d say

That was him, the only white boy at school with a fro

I guess he realized if he showed up in high school with those tight little pin curls

He was born with, they’d probably kick his ass or give him swirlys daily

He changed to survive.

 

His announcement to go to college was met with some skepticism by the family

Mostly due to the fact he nearly flunked out of school

But he showed us, he showed us all what he was made of, what he could do

 

Honored for his achievements at halftime at “The Shoe”, he almost didn’t go

He loved what he did, how could that be so special.  He was the one that was special.

 

Things became hard for him and harder still.  He tried hard to fight anyway he knew how.

But it wasn’t enough, even with help, it just wasn’t enough. We rallied around him, remembering the times of ole, the holidays, the hair, the love hidden under all of the typical sibling bullshit.

 

We stayed with him days and nights until the call came that he had taken his last breath, peacefully, alone and on his own terms.  There would be no more hard times, no more changing to fit in…….and no more Bob.

 

Miss you brother!