Sunday, August 17, 2008

Things That Changed My Life: Chapter One




Two things have gotten me thinking about my brother, TMOC. The 1st thing was the blog that I wrote about Betty. I was afraid that I made it sound as though I was angry with, or resentful of, my big brother, TMOC.

Nothing could be further from the truth.


The second thing was Heidi's post about the things that changed her life. TMOC is right near the top of my list.


We were born 4 yeas apart, TMOC and I. I can't remember a time without him in my life. I love him so much that my first word was 'Deeb.'


My first sentence was, 'Deeb did it.' lol


We grew up as latch key kids, the kids of the 70's that spent afternoons alone while the parents worked. We spent a lot of time alone, because our Dad was a single working parent.
Poor TMOC! I was a pest - to say the least. I followed him everywhere. He really had no choice in the matter. As the eldest, he was expected to watch me while Dad was at work.
I spied on him, tattled on him and drove him beyond crazy.
He took me swimming, rode bikes with me, and sometimes, we went sledding together.
We fought, a lot. I seem to recollect smashing a tv. I am not certain if that happened during a game of Batman/Catwoman, or an altercation stemming from the fact that The Brady Bunch and The Odd Couple came on tv at the same time.
Honestly, he was an awesome brother. He even let me watch The Exorcist one night when I was about 8. For weeks afterwards, he would shake my bed at night and make frightening sounds that had me petrified of my own closet.
TMOC saved me from many a bully, too. Well, he had little choice. I would scream my brothers gonna beat you up!
I have lost count of how many times he saved my ass.
As we grew, we became even more close. I cried countless times when he was in Cape Breton, and I was here, in Ontario. Then I was sent to Nova Scotia, and he was here. I missed him so much. The best Christmas gift that I ever got was my brother. Betty sent him a plane ticket so that we could all be together.
TMOC and I are a lot alike. We both hate to be wrong, and we are both always right. When we clash, we really clash. I just can't make him understand that I am right.
He never lets me forget my faux pas and my blunders. That's ok, I can take it.
One of my fondest memories is of the night that Rudi and I were married. Jethro, Heidi, TMOC, Rudi and I were driving around in Jethro's van....TMOC telling Rudi that he really didn't like him very much, after all. Oh, then there was me asking Rudi to buy me a banana from the convenience store...On my wedding night.
When Rudi and I split up, TMOC and I spent even more time together. I would take the bus to Toronto,and hang with him for a few days. When he found out that Rudi had been hitting me, he offered to bust his legs.
Oh, I never took him up on the offer, but it was a nice thought :)
When he unexpectedly lost his job, he showed up at my place, unannounced. That was the way it was. He had a key for my house, just in case. I never wanted him to be locked out and alone.
He always took my phone calls, even if he was on a date, or I called at 3 am, or he was toiling away at work. Believe me, there were a lot of phone calls.

Of course, with TMOC married and living in another province, we don't get to see each other very often. It was difficult at first....He was ingrained in my life, I felt lost with out him.

I guess that if I have to pick something, or rather, someone, that changed my life, TMOC is at the top of the list. I can not imagine my childhood, my life, without him.

Here's to you, Steve, and I know that you did it!

18 comments:

Gabriel said...

What a lovely tribute to your brother, Biddie! I loved every second of it.

Biddie said...

gabriel - Thank you :) He really is on the top of my list..Just don't tell him. I will never live it down!

aims said...

Wait a second. You're a fellow Canadian? How come I didn't know that?! Which little dot on my map are you?

Brothers - mine's the best too! I love him as much as The Man. That says a lot!

Biddie said...

aims - I thought that you knew. I am in Kitchener, right near your home town...TMOC has always been a good big brother, and believe me, with me as a kid sister, that can't always be easy!

jAMiE said...

That was lovely, thank you for sharing it!

Anonymous said...

Very nice B.

:0)

Burfica said...

I'll be back to read and comment later, but I gave you an award on my blog go look.

Nel said...

nice entry!! you are indeed blessed!

Marnellie
www.homelife.blogsome.com
www.iamforeternity.blogspot.com

Burfica said...

Your relationship with your brother sounds alot like mine with my sister. She is 7 years older, and we were latch key kids and she had to take care of me. Single working mom and all.

Anonymous said...

ah how sweet and it is lovely to hear that you have such a special relationship with your brother.

Michael Colvin said...

A great post, Biddie! I wish I had a relationship with my brother that was even close to what you have.

captain corky said...

Very nice Biddie and very enjoyable to read.

Biddie said...

jamie - thank you :)

heather - I miss you..when are you coming back???

burfica- Oh, thank you! And congrats on yours, too!

Heidi the Hick said...

TMOC is LEGENDARY and not just in his own mind!

I will never forget the hair head that guy had at your first wedding. That was amazing. I haven't seen him in years and now that I think about it I kind of miss having him poke through my hair.

I love the Steve Stories. He never ceases to amaze me.

Just don't tell him that- it'll go to his head! hahaha!

Biddie said...

journey - Thank you! Stop by anytime :)

burfica - I guess the only difference that I had a brother and a single dad. I hate that he lives so far away :(

lw - Oh, he is special, alright. lol

tod - I am lucky, really to have a good relationship with my brother. I can tell him almost anything, and he is always there for me...

corky - Thank you :)

Heidi - lol. He really is a legend in his own mind! Just don't tell him that I said that.
Ah, heck I love him :)

Gardenia said...

You are blessed to have such a special relationship with your brother. My oldest daughter and my son were like that and four years difference between them too.

aims said...

Honestly - I didn't know! I have some great memories of Kitchener. My heart still loves Guelph of course - all those old beautiful houses! And just the vegetation alone...sigh!

Thanks for telling me Biddie! It puts you in a place for me and now I know whenever I see Kitchener on my map that it's you!

zirelda said...

What a wonderful post. I love your blog. It's nice to meet you Biddie. I was a latch key kid in the 70's too. :)