Brother

I guess I would have been cooler if I would have bought you beer that night. The night of the concert. Not Green Day. I'm talking about that one with the local bands at Curly's.

Anyway, you used my cell phone on the way home to call some friends and see if/where you could get some beer. It was already at least 11 pm.

We ate at Denny's and sat in our booth talking about starting a band together. Me: guitar. You: drums (right?). We would fill the rest of the band members in later.

A few weeks after our Denny's band discussion, I stuck my head in your bedroom door and asked you when we were gonna get our band going. And you said, "I guess when we learn how to play some instruments and write some songs."

I laughed because you knew I was never really a guitar player or a drummer in spite of the fact that I owned and practiced on those instruments all the time.

You surprised me and mom a couple months later when you said, "I think I'll go to college - maybe RSU at first - and then become a history teacher." Mom and I talked about you in the yard that day after you said all that about school. It was a Saturday. I was over there doing my laundry. You had just gotten your tongue pierced the night before.

Anyway, I told you "Bye. Love you. Why don't you come see me anymore?" I was lugging my laundry and in a hurry. I don't remember why.

You said, "I don't really run around that much now that I have a job." And then maybe you said, "Bye. Love you too."