Dad's Program

I usually never tell the story of my brother. My brother was wild and out of control. He would let nothing stop him. He was usually the favorite. And he did not like being told what to do. My brother got into a lot of trouble being that way. Like the old saying goes a hard head makes a soft bottom probably because all those spankings from Mom and Dad. My brother would always try to find a way out of that. It's like he would come up with some plan, some scheme, or some lie. And Mom and Dad would see straight through that. I never took advice from my brother because he always was the one doing something that would make Mom and Dad angry. And I tried to be the good one. I also tried to be the smart one. I wanted to make Mom and Dad proud of me. I know that seem a little vain but that's what I want my parents to think of me. My brother did not care. My brother always had an aggressive issue or tantrums. He was like the opposite of me. And everyone knew that and even everyone would say that. I like the good reputation while my brother like the bad reputation. We were brothers and even DNA could prove that but we were so different. I think it's because my brother was angry about being the younger. He did not like being treated dumbly. And he despised being treated like a child. So he would fight back doing dumb things that made him look grown. Mom and Dad would warn him until he did something that had to be punished. And I think they knew he was just trying their patience. Mom and Dad even threatened sending him to bordering school, which they eventually did. And then they found out that he signed up for the Military too. And then they found out that he loved the military and being away from them. So I was treated like the only child and I enjoyed taking care of my parents. And I begin a family of my own, Mom and Dad helped take care of their grandchildren. And Mom and Dad almost forgot about my brother. And this happened for many years, my children started to grow up and they asked me if I had a brother. And I felt guilty and begin asking Mom and Dad about my brother. Mom and Dad said that my brother stop writing years ago. And that they were not worried about him because they received no bad news from the military. And so I asked if he wrote letters. And Mom and Dad gave me the stacks of letters, they were afraid to read them and worry about his health. I read the letters and found out everything about my brother. My brother had a family and many children. He loved living overseas. He found faith in God. He found hope and love. He was changed. He was cured. And he planned on coming back but he did not hear from us. So he thought we did not want to be bothered with him again and that was the last letter. And just after weeks of reading, those letters that were sought for many years, Dad had a major stroke. And Mom was with him in the hospital, it happened after I called to talk to him. And so I took my family to the hospital and there was my brother. And we talked and he found out from Mom who called him because she believed that my father would never recovered. And Mom interrupted us and said we better say our last goodbyes. And so my brother rushed in and said Dad I am sorry and I love you. And I said I love you. And Dad said love ya. Then he died and Mom included me at Dad's funeral. She thought my brother did not want to do anything. My brother took the mic to say his last goodbyes and sung Grateful by John P. Kee. And my brother's family stood up and Mom cried and I cried and so did my family. And the family was back together, Mom loved hugging my brother and she hugged me too