If You Love Your Siblings, Punch Them In The Face

While at the store waiting for my prescription the other day I sat next to two young children; no doubt brother and sister, who were sitting contently and playing with their Iphones.  I assumed the wait would be short so I left mine in the car, a dreadful mistake that I can assure you will not be made again. I waited for what seemed like hours without even a glimpse at Instagram, Facebook or Twitter and boy oh boy was I stressed out. Beside me though, the kids weren’t making a peep. Not a single argument, not a single punch in the face; just two siblings, enjoying their devises. 

While sitting there, technology-less, I couldn’t help but picture what it would have been like 10 years ago had it been my brother and I sitting there instead, sans cell phones of course because my dad had little respect for our desires. I can’t deny it really brought me back to a simpler time…

…A time where, just for fun, I would put the dog’s choke collar on my little brother and run down the street, dragging him behind me. So young, so careless, so free. Sure, he cried but it was a cry of love and thankfulness.

…A time where  I made him steal lipgloss from the grocery store for me, only to be caught by a secret shopper and forced to go to anger management classes together. A beautiful, time in our lives where we learned to express our feelings by using the phrase “It makes me feel sad when you…” Of course, my brother had nothing to insert there because I only brought him joy.

…A time when I walked in on him putting his mouth on the gallon of milk and I forced him to drink the entire thing. 

 A reenactment of our childhood; printed for an uncle a few years back.

…A time when I occasionally hit him with my vehicle ever so lightly by “accident,” just to get a little rise out of him.

…A time when I locked my car doors and forced him to crawl through a small crack in the window if he wanted a ride home.

…A time where I took my brother and younger cousins on a joy ride on the four-wheeler, specifically choosing a location with thick brush and then ducking down to ensure they were the ones to get smacked in the face by the dangling branches; a beautiful bonding time we can all reflect back on today. 

As I sat there, reflecting, I couldn’t help but feel sad for these two siblings who will likely never know the feeling of the other’s urine drizzling on them from above or even the way the other’s hands feels around their necks. 

Moments later, their mother called them from the front of the store telling them it was time to leave and as the little brother got up, the older one tripped him. I laughed out loud and high-fived the older brother; maybe there is still hope for them to have a happy childhood.