Mike and I took off Friday for a weekend trip to see my brother Bill and his wife Betty. We haven’t seen them since they came to town four years ago for our Memphis wedding shindig a week after we were married in California. This weekend was the best visit I’ve ever had with my brother.
Unfortunately, we’ve not had the amount of visiting time that we would have liked. We’re half-brother and sister. When our 39-year-old father married my 19-year-old mother, Dad had already been married and divorced and had a 16-year-old son – my brother Bill. (By the way, brother got the red hair that I missed out on. See “Redheads” http://plunkchronicles.blogspot.com/2008/04/redheads-now-you-see-them-now-you.html)
Our age difference and family issues didn’t encourage us to develop a close relationship early on.
Although Bill grew up in Clarksdale, MS, he and his young family lived in Memphis in the late 50s, and I did some babysitting for his children. During those years, Bill began his career in the glass business. One of his highlights from that time was running the installation of all the mirrors and shower doors at Graceland. With his great sense of humor, Bill even got a huge laugh out of Elvis during a non-business chat.
Bill and family later moved to Chattanooga in eastern Tennessee’s beautiful Smoky Mountains and have been there ever since.
He and I got some more family history pieced together, but the best part was that I was reminded that my brother is an excellent amateur writer. I’d forgotten that he’d written some short stories and I’d never had copies of them. In the photo that you see of us above, we’re having “story time.” My brother read me several of his short stories, and it was the very best time we’ve had together. I loved his stories and I loved leaning against his shoulder while he read them. You just can’t beat that.
To read my very favorite of brother’s stories – Reesie and the Dream – go to http://scarlett-xtrastuff.blogspot.com/
Unfortunately, we’ve not had the amount of visiting time that we would have liked. We’re half-brother and sister. When our 39-year-old father married my 19-year-old mother, Dad had already been married and divorced and had a 16-year-old son – my brother Bill. (By the way, brother got the red hair that I missed out on. See “Redheads” http://plunkchronicles.blogspot.com/2008/04/redheads-now-you-see-them-now-you.html)
Our age difference and family issues didn’t encourage us to develop a close relationship early on.
Although Bill grew up in Clarksdale, MS, he and his young family lived in Memphis in the late 50s, and I did some babysitting for his children. During those years, Bill began his career in the glass business. One of his highlights from that time was running the installation of all the mirrors and shower doors at Graceland. With his great sense of humor, Bill even got a huge laugh out of Elvis during a non-business chat.
Bill and family later moved to Chattanooga in eastern Tennessee’s beautiful Smoky Mountains and have been there ever since.
He and I got some more family history pieced together, but the best part was that I was reminded that my brother is an excellent amateur writer. I’d forgotten that he’d written some short stories and I’d never had copies of them. In the photo that you see of us above, we’re having “story time.” My brother read me several of his short stories, and it was the very best time we’ve had together. I loved his stories and I loved leaning against his shoulder while he read them. You just can’t beat that.
To read my very favorite of brother’s stories – Reesie and the Dream – go to http://scarlett-xtrastuff.blogspot.com/
1 comment:
I love my Grandad!
(and my Auntie D too!)
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