56 years in TIME Flies and other Thoughts

56 years ago
I was 7.
I remember coming home from School and my Mom being there after being gone for a few days. I knew she had a Baby. She told me he was sleeping. I went and woke him up and announced, “He’s awake.” I met my brother Michael.

The houses in the neighborhood did not have Central Air. We had a 2 bedroom house. The heater dumper the air between the 2 bedrooms. To get to the backyard and Laundry room you had to walk through the 2nd bedroom. Off of the Laundry room was a third room added on and we used as storage. It got little heat.

They did have the crib in their room but then moved it to MY room for some crazy reason. That didn’t last long after I informed them I wanted to drop him on his head. They then moved their bedroom to the unheated room and put my brother in the middle room. The only bummer about that for him was he had to keep his room fairly clean.... especially get those stray Lego pieces off the floor!

I noticed most of his childhood he slept with his head under the covers… I think to help drown out the sound. He tells me now sleeping in the middle room wasn’t that bad.
My brother had that middle room until I got married and then he took my room. He painted over my purple walls and they became blue.

I have very few memories of my brother as a child because we were 7 years apart. And when I was a teen I remember him even less. When he was about 2 I recall him throwing night Tantrums; eventually he grew out of that. When he was like 3 or 4 I recall him pushing me through the house on his Playskool Tyke Bike. Our house didn’t have any Carpet, just a type of cement flooring so he could easily push me from his room to the kitchen and back. He had a record player just like I did. He had a children’s album that played various songs. The one song I think he wore out was “The Candyman can”. Whenever I hear that song I think of him.
Our father was a Clown and Mike also had a clown outfit. At least once we all were in one of the Sacramento Parades.

I remember being a bratty big sister. Turning off the lights knowing it scared him. I do actually feel bad for that. Years ago, I apologized, and he blew it off. He also knew he purposely was an annoying little brother. It is just that I was older and I knew better.

As he aged, we played Card Games together. When I was a much later teen, we once rode 11 miles to our Dad’s house on our bikes. Taking the levee along the American River.

After I was married I didn’t see him very often and more not after I moved out of California,
And when he came “Out of the closet”, (1987), he moved to Southern, CA. and I saw him even less.
He did come for our son’s funeral (1996) and our daughter’s wedding (2002).

It wasn’t till 2006 when my husband took off for another state for a job and left me behind is when I started flying alone and visits with my brother was on my list of people to see. Since then, I have seen him about once a year or so.

Every time I visit with him, we always have a great time together. We’d do various sightseeing. We visited the Museum of Tolerance, we went the The Grove, we walked and ate in Hollywood, we went to Sea World, We went to the Getty Museum and several other things. They didn’t have a Car when they lived in Southern CA. so we walked or took the Subway to get to A to B. All unique experiences for me.

A couple of the times when I flew to Los Angeles, I’d visit a week and then we rented a car and drove up to Sacramento to visit our Mon and we would see sights along the way. One was a Mission from way back when. There was a few other things I don’t recall. When he moved back to Sacramento 5 years ago, I was a little sad because now I wouldn’t be seeing new sights in Southern CA anymore. It was so much fun!

Mike and his Mate (of 34 years) came up here and went to Victoria, B.C. with me and my daughter for my 60th Birthday.
(My daughter told me to invite a friend and I chose, my brother. I couldn’t think of anyone better. I mean I had various good friends I could have invited, but it just seemed the best person to invite was my brother).

I am thankful for the 5 years he lived in Sacramento. How awesome that was! To be able to see him and my Mom in the same visit and for her to see us together.
My brother and his mate love to explore the areas they live in and learn all the history. One of the times I came to visit in Sacramento we went to the Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park in Chico. It was very interesting! And we have done other things.

I will look forward to visiting with Mike in Southern, CA again, in the future.
Happy Birthday Mike

Last updated September 14, 2021