Okay, confession time.
I spent so much time and effort studying for my finals this
week that I forgot I still had a post to write, even though it was on my to-do
list for Tuesday. Only after I was getting ready for bed did I realize that I
hadn’t done that one very important task yet.
Now what? At this point, it was past midnight and I
absolutely need my rest so I could do well on the two tests I still needed to
get done. But, since I hadn’t forewarned Bonnie, I also had to get a post written.
Conundrum.
I still had no clue what to write about. In fact, I’d been
having difficulty putting two words together in coherent thought since I was
told the oldest of our brothers had passed away. Keep in mind that while he is
the oldest boy, he isn’t the oldest child. He’s younger than all three of us
sisters (me, Bonnie, and our older sister).
So, with my thoughts fully on my brother, I suppose he will be
the topic today.
One of my clearest memories of him was when I was eight and
out in our front yard playing. When to my astonishment Bryon came riding down
the street on our mother’s bike.
This was a full-sized women’s bike and Bryon was at most
7-years-old, and he wasn’t big for his age. He couldn’t even reach the pedals if
he was sitting on the seat at its lowest position. So instead of trying to ride
it while sitting, he was standing on the pedals while he rode around.
It blew me away. He was the youngest of us and the first one
to figure out balancing on a bike. Over the next four years, both Bonnie and
Jacki learned how to ride, but I was simply not confident enough to balance one.
I always lost my balance within a few feet.
When I was twelve, with a bunch of our friends over to ride
bikes around the parking lot outside the apartment we lived in, Bryon convinced
me to get on our mother’s bike and try just one more time.
I was very reluctant, but he promised me he’d ride beside me
and keep ahold of the seat, so I didn’t tip over.
Admonishing him to not let go, I set off, periodically
glancing to my side to be sure he was still beside me. Because of our
positions, I couldn’t see if he was still holding me up or not but assumed so
since I was not tipping at all.
Then he suddenly rode off, swinging around right in front of
me. I yelled, even berating him for not holding on.
His response? “What are you yelling at me for? You’re riding,
aren’t you?”
I looked down. I had not wobbled in the least and was still
pedaling along nicely. Without hesitation, I then did a crazy eight. My brother
had tricked me into figuring out I could balance a bike.
I have plenty of other stories, particularly about how spoiled
our little brother was, but I also have some about the man he grew to be.
When we were adults and married, Bryon and I ended up living
in the same apartment complex. Being the nearest family member, I often called
on him and his wife when I needed help with something. Early one morning I
needed help.
It could not have been 5 in the morning when Tina fell out
of bed and cut open the bottom of her chin. I was certain she’d need to be seen
so I called Bryon.
He wanted me to take her to his place, but I pointed out her
three sleeping siblings and the fact that Jerry had left for work not long
before she fell out of bed.
He also had three sleeping kids, so he moaned and came over.
After checking her chin, he ended up taking her to the ER with a note from me
saying he could seek medical care for her.
Years later she was attending college in the same area where
he lived and found herself in immediate need of a ride. Bryon dropped
everything to head over to pick her up though our sister-in-law beat him there.
However, only a few months later I had reason to believe she
again needed help and called Bryon in a bit of a panic. He didn’t hesitate. He
dropped everything and rushed right over to her and stayed with her while he
was still needed.
These are the things Tina remembers about her Uncle Bryon. The
one uncle who would drop everything to help her when she needed it. She is
already missing him.
Smile. Make the day a brighter day. Our family could use it.
