We grew up together, me and Bratley, the two youngest kids in a family of six. The age gap between the two of us and our four older siblings was such that the older kids weren't interested in playing cars or cowboys and Indians with us--they were more into activities such as dating and driving---so Brad and I pretty much had each other for company for most of our childhoods.
Brad had a speech impediment when he was little. Although I understood him perfectly almost no one else could, so I was not only his playmate but also his interpreter:
Stranger: "Why, what a cute little boy you are! What's your name, little one?"
Bradley: "Bbbwwwaaawwwey"
Stranger: "Huh?"
Bradley gives me an elbow to the ribs
Me: "His name is Bradley"
Stranger: "And how old are you Bradley?"
Bradley gives me an elbow to the ribs
Me: "He's three"
Stranger: "Well Bradley, you sure are cute with your blue eyes and those big dimples"
Bradley gives me an elbow to the ribs
Me: "He says thank you"
Stranger: "Would you like some candy, Bradley?"
Me: "He says no thank you and please give his candy to me"
Bradley gives me an elbow to the ribs followed by a karate chop to the throat
Brad eventually got his speech fixed thanks to a nice speech therapist at the university, but it took me another fifty years a little while to get used to not doing all his talking for him.
Bradley says thank you for all the birthday wishes*.
And he says he forgives me completely for forgetting his 50th birthday.
Also, he says I'm the coolest sister ever and way smarter and funnier than he is. Also he says I can have his new car, his uber cool Bluetooth headset, his GPS that does more tricks than mine, and a $30,000 check.
* Bradley: GO HERE to see what the heck I'm talking about. And you really should get in the habit of checking my blog more often, you know.
