A very pregnant young woman, all of twenty-eight years old, made her last-minute preparations for the trip to the hospital. She grabbed a handful of clothes and bathroom items and threw them into a small overnight bag.
She stopped to say goodbye to her not quite four-year-old son before heading out the door, whereupon he presented her with a most earnest request: “Mommy, can you bring me a baby brother?”
“I’ll try!” And then she was out the door.
That was exactly fifty-five years ago today... and that young woman did indeed bring home a baby brother for her not quite four-year-old son.
Today, that baby brother - the other Elisson - celebrates the attainment of the fabled Double Nickel: Fifty-five trips around the sun!
My request for a brother (and the happiness I felt when I learned that that request had been granted) is one of my earliest and strongest memories; aside from that, I can barely recall the days before he was part of my life.
The two Elissons, in a photo from June 2009.
He and I - like any pair of siblings, I suppose - have our similarities and our differences. Our lives have taken different paths, with me running off to Texas and points beyond and he remaining in New York. I am married; he is single. And yet in many ways, he is the Elisson I wish I could be: hard-working, considerate, thoughtful. He is a mensch... and I am proud to call him brother.
Happy Birthday, O brother mine! May you live to be 120 years and a day - because who wants to croak on his birthday? And may your life be filled with health and happiness, without limit to any good thing. My only caveat? Don’t ever bitch about getting old... ’cause I’m still older than you!
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9 comments:
Freilichen g'buertstag to the other Elisson, who I was very fortunate to meet on the hottest day of my life, along with the rest of the Mushpucker d'Eli. I hope it (meaning today, not that unbearably hot day a couple of years ago) was a wonderful birthday, filled with the promise of good times to come.
They say memory is the first thing to go. That hottest day of your life, Erica, was in late July of last year. But who's counting? ;-)
@Elisson... I love you bro', and credit my better attributes to admiring and trying to follow in your footsteps. @Erica... It was great meeting you that day in July, and if you want a reminder of it again weather wise, just wait for this Thursday's heat wave!
Happy Birthday to the other Elisson...love that picture of you two; you look so much alike!
Congratulations to your brother. My younger brother hit that age last year.
Steve I swear you guys are looking more alike as time goes on. During your younger days you had more of your dear old dad in you. At least that is the way I remembered it. That also is a bit of an older shot, so now with all your weight off of you, now even more so minus the facial hair. That was a beautiful write up.
Happy Double Nickles!! You already enjoy the finest of gifts....Family Love.
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Happy Birthday to the other son of Eli! Good Lord, you cannot deny each other being brothers.
@Bou - If you think we look alike in that pic, check out this one!
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