I always used to envy my brother for having a summer birthday. There were always about a million people around and tons of presents and a big fancy train cake or whatever The Commander dreamed up. I had what I thought was the terrible misfortune to be born in the absolute dead of winter when nobody in their right mind would ever visit the yoop. It was a few weeks after Christmas to boot. It wasn’t until this summer that I learned that the main reason my personable little brother had such big celebrations was because he himself would go up and down the beach and invite everyone to his party. This was more or less unbeknownst to The Commander, who then had to expand whatever plans were in progress.

Here’s a picture from the Sherman archives of, I’m gonna guess, about his 4th birthday:

Lemme see… That’s a bit of Beth’s head on the right left and the back of Danny’s. The Commander is in there doing something with a package and there’s me with my messy blonde hair right up front trying to get in on some of the action. The tall people in the back are Suzie, Sandy (with the white hat) and Mac. Then there’s Paul and Pooh (in glasses) and probably David behind her. And the birthday boy himself, intent on opening up all of his loot. Note the buzzcuts, Grandroobly’s signature haircut, all the rage amongst the male beach urchins, or maybe their mothers.

Long ago I learned to appreciate the merits of having a winter birthday. One of them is cross-country skiing. Another is that since my birthday is one day after Martin Luther King’s (and the Grinch’s), I usually get a four day weekend in the Great White North. Gifts? Puh-lease, I am trying to GET RID OF STUFF! I do not need anything!

Anyway, today would’ve been my brother’s 49th birthday. The next picture is probably not the best one I have of him but he’s on the beach on a windy August-looking day. Looks like a downbound freighter out there a wee bit to the left of the Pickle Finger.

Happy birthday, kiddo, wherever you are! I’m thinking of you today and Mouse and I are gonna celebrate by driving up to the yoop tonight. Seeya on the beach! grok grok! Me too! Green Guy Green Guy! grok grok.

This entry was posted on Saturday, August 12th, 2006 at 11:11 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.