Mom had her first four children within six years. SHE IS A SAINT!!! By the time I came along, my brother, Dave, was already two. He is named after our dad, who is named after his dad -- a strong line of Crocketts.
I tried to keep up with my brother as best I could, but for a while our two years age difference was pretty obvious. As time went on the gap began to blur. As a result, I grew up a bit of a tomboy of sorts. Afternoons were filled with three flies up, marbles and riding bikes until the street lights came on. We explored the High Sierras in every season, went camping, fishing and hiked along forgotten roads that skirted groves of quaking aspen trees.
I'm sure I drove him crazy as a child. Riding in the family station wagon, we girls just couldn’t stop ourselves from singing. And we travelled a lot.
One trip to the beach when I was pretty young, I was sad because I was too little to go fishing with the others. My big brother fashioned a pole just for me out of a rope and a stick so that I could fish too. I was so proud of that pole.
Halloween was always fun. We found if you use a pillowcase instead of a little orange bucket and run from house to house you could more than double your take that night. For some reason his candy stash always seemed to last forever while mine was gone in a week.
Some of my adult memories with Dave are boating, canoeing, and fishing with the grandkids. Singing around the piano with our children warms my heart as I hear Dave’s pure tenor voice harmonizing behind me. Caroling on Christmas Eve and leaving wreaths and ornaments on grandparents’ graves Christmas Day is a December highlight. One especially memorable trip to the coast involved the making of the epic home movie Beach House Martians.
Dave is somehow able to find more than 24 hours in a day as he works and serves others tirelessly. He stands for truth and is rock solid in his convictions. And he’s really fun to watch Pink Panther movies with — his laughter is contagious. Thanks, Brother, for being someone I can always look up to. Love you!!!!
— a piano solo for my brother, Dave
Click HERE to download free sheet music
No comments:
Post a Comment