Brotherly Love

Just to keep you entertained, let me tell you a fast story about my brother Rob.  I once took Jen over to my mom’s house for dinner.  We had some sort of pasta, I am sure of it.  But afterwards, when we are standing in the driveway and saying our goodbyes, my brother Rob came up to give me a hug.

Usually we do the one-armed-man-pat and chest bump, occasionally he will squeeze my butt just to creep me out and say “Good game”, because if you say that then you are in the clear.  Football players do it all the time.  Right?

Anyway, this time he held his hug on me a bit too long and as I tried to squirm away he said, “I don’t know where you’re going, but can you call in sick?” I pushed away and he gave me a shit eating grin and I called him out for quoting Groundhog’s Day.  This is how my family operates.  Movie quotes, jokes, and trying to push each other’s thresholds.

  

Thinking the worst was done I stepped back as he hugged Jen. Again there was the uncomfortably long hug.  He looks me dead in the eye as he hugs her and says, “You know, Jen, in olden times when one brother died 

another brother would have to take care of his significant other. Dibs.”

Jen squirmed away, but I think she had a big smile. 

Perhaps too big.

My brother got in his car and drove away.  Then a few moments later my cell phone rang and it was him. “So, 

um , just so you know I was joking bro-ski.”

“Yeah, Rob.  I know. Not that it matters, jack ass.”

It doesn’t matter, does it?

In writing news:

I managed to surpass the 10,000 word mark for my second novel last night.  That was a good feeling.   I hope the rest of the manuscript goes as quickly as the first 40 pages.  I will try and hammer out another 1,000 words or so tonight.