My Big Brother called me this morning from the V.A. He was waiting to be seen for a routine examination. When I answered the phone it was with my cheery "Hellooo Big Bye" (my childhood nickname before I could pronounce his name). "Hi Dave", but he sounded serious. Given where he was I got a wee alarmed. "I wanted to tell you something." (didn't vanquish my alarm). "Yesterday, I was in church. I was there at 7, the service doesn't start till 8 but I get there early" (I knew that.). And I was sitting there and closed my eyes and thought how proud I am of you." "Oh please, please." "Let me finish. And I thought how proud I was of you" (rattling off my quote accomplishments unquote), "And I sat there and was very thankful for you."

"Thankful". He was "thankful" for my existence and what it meant to be my brother! :o I am quite sure no one has ever thanked me for existing. Of course I was very touched.

He and I are very different. He's 83, I'm 69. He has lived all his life in the area we both grew up in, Pennsyltucky; I've lived 44 years in Miami Beach. Our most profound difference is politics, he's a Trumpists, I'm sapphire blue. Very similar differences exist between me and my-brother-the-klansman, who I have had, and want, no contact with for eight years. The reason my B.B. and I are close is because he has always been nice to me. "He was wery, wery good to me, he wuz" said Jo in Bleak House. My B.B. has been wery, wery good to me my entire life. Always talked me up, always has been proud of me. Is "thankful' for me.