The Kid and The Boy

 

 

The Kid and The Boy

Siblings in my opinion are a blessing, don’t get me wrong at the same time they can also be curse.  I think anyone who has brothers and sisters can relate to that statement.   I know my sibling would agree.  I am one of five siblings.  Two older sisters, and older brother, and what a baby brother, he can be in his late thirties but he will always be my baby brother.  My sisters are angles, at least in my mind.  I love them and miss them.  Last October 29^th I shared a little about the importance of my older brother to me.  Apparently, I made him teary eyed with it, and that just tells me he got what I was saying.  I won’t rehash that here.  I feel that entry is standalone and no matter what I say here about my younger brother, that bond I have with my big brother will always be there, just like it will be with my sisters.  However, the Ding and I have well; we have always been on a different wave length than the rest of the world.

Shawn Hastings Burkle, aka the Dinger, aka the Ding Burkle is my baby brother.  He is probably the oldest baby alive at 36.  Somewhere in the last 15 years, I adopted a mantle for myself, as the Kid.  Shortly, after that he became the Boy.  He tried to use the kid for a while, but I was having none of that.  So, he adapted to the Boy.  We stole this from my Dad’s best friend Jorge who used to always refer to his own son, simply as the Boy. 

I often tell people when you want to think about my younger brother, just think of me, make me over six foot tall, skinny as a rail, and a blonde hair and there you go.  Then, I stop and remember and have to say but he has two hollow legs, because he can drink more than anyone I have ever met.  My shenanigans are his shenanigans, and vice versa.  Neither of us likes to introduce ourselves by our real names.  There are several women in Pleasanton that think my name is either Ken Ju, or Chris Rich. 

The Boy is coming for a visit this weekend, therefore, whether I like it or not, Tom Foolery will follow with him.   There will be football.  There will be booze.  There will most likely be some hooting and hollering.  We will reminisce over the Colts Super Bowl Run and victory over the Bears (we won’t discuss the loss to the Saints, you just don’t go there).   We will discuss the rise of the Monster in Indianapolis Football.  We will make fun of my old roommate and his good friend Ison, it’s just par for the course.  He will tell me what a girl Poogie is.  I know this all will happen because it has happened the better part of the last 36 years. 

It isn’t always shits n’ giggles either.  The Ding and I haven’t always been friends.  Like any other rollercoaster it has its ups and downs.  There was the time we went fist-a-cuffs after too much beer. I slammed him through a glass table, and he pulled the hockey move on me.  You know the one where you grab the guy’s shirt and pull it over his head and go to town.  Now that I mention it I am still a little bitter about that one.  There are too many other ups and downs to recount here in this time and this place. 

It was the Boy who had final say in the cutting of the hair.  I mean after all I had to grow my hair out because he did and his looked so bad, I had to show him how long hair looked good! 

We saw Return of the Jedi 13+ together in theaters.  Our old sitter Mrs B.  Really his nanny.  Lived by an old theater and we hit that thing like every freaking day.  We had ever line memorized and we would re-enact it word for word.  I will also never forget when mom had to take him home during empire because the imperial walkers scared him shitless.  Pussy. 

What I know is as a kid, I hated the fact I couldn’t go anywhere without my little brother.  Junior got to go everywhere without me.  However, I always had to take the Dinger with me.  I hated it. I tell you I hated it.  Now, I would do anything to have him around more.  The minute we get together we slide right into it.  It doesn’t matter how long it has been.  We just click and two become one.  So, I warn you San Jose, this weekend you are in trouble, because two will become one.  The double headed monster of the Kid and the Boy is coming and I am pretty excited about it.