Moon River
20/07/2006
My brother is five years older than I am, and while I was growing up he ignored me a lot. I couldn’t understand why then. I mean, I was cute enough, everyone wanted to hang out with me, what the hell was his problem?
It started when I started school. I was in Primary 1 and he was in Primary 6, and though I’m not sure exactly how he conducted himself before I went to school, from almost my first day his female classmates who were appointed the prefects (or like councillors) in school flocked on me like old crows to deadmeat.
I couldn’t really understand what the fuss was about. They asked me the stupidest, most inane things about him. He eats dinner at home like everyone else. I don’t know what he likes to eat. I don’t know what he does, he doesn’t let me in his room. Yes he’s mean, he won’t let me hang out with him, yeah, he drools when he sleeps on his pillow…
That little incident and a culmination of years of alleged sibling abuse made my brother resolve to ignore me some more. It lasted a few years – well mostly till I was old enough to understand that following him around embarressed him. So it would’ve been another 10 years. Anyhoo…
Good thing my cousins were closer to my age. Growing up they were more suitable elders brothers. They did all the fun stuff with me like play football and hide and seek. We used to cover the marble floors with talc to skate on. We used to dig a hole in my grandmother’s backyard, and while I filled it with water, they’d run off to the aquarium to get little frogs (overgrown tadpoles for feeding arrowana). We’d throw them into our pond and for the next 2 hours or so, try to catch them as they hopped out of our pond. It was hilarious.
They told me about the birds and bees. That was hilarious too. Before they told me, they made me promise to forget it after they said it.
They never forgot my birthday. They always got my a little something no matter what it was – a pair of sunglasses from the cornershop, or a box of chocolate or a small can of fragrance or something.
Those were good times. I think I had a happy childhood partially because of my brothers.
My brothers are now all heftily overgrown and happily married. And because of them, I’ll always have a soft spot for Bryans and Rodneys.
And strangely, Moon River always reminds me of all those happy days. Maybe because it’s a great song. Mostly because inevitably one of my brothers would date some chick called Regina or something. You know Regina. Right? You know, Regina. Wider than a mile. I’m crossing you in style, someday.
