La versión español está después de la versión inglés.
The Kid Brother was having some financial problems. He kept running out of spending money before his Saturday bowling league, which is the most important day of his week. It took some back and forth with the office that manages the residence and the organization’s main office, but there was nothing fishy going on. Just some confusion with Social Security that will soon (I hope, I hope) be worked out.
Meanwhile, the office lent him money so he wouldn’t miss bowling these last two weeks (he had already missed three) and San Geraldo and I wired money to his account to help him get by until the problem is worked out. He has already paid back the office. But I knew we could kiss our money good-bye. So, I told him to consider it a birthday present. A very BIG birthday present, since I usually just send him a card!
Yes, The Kid Brother is aging. He’ll be 59 years old (gasp) on Tuesday. (I don’t know how that happened since I’m only 29.)
My Mother the Dowager Duchess was the fifth of seven children — nine years younger than her eldest sister and nine years older than the youngest. Until the day she died, she referred to the youngest as “my kid sister.” Her Kid Sister was 80!
But, cheers to The Kid Brother who will forever be … The Kid Brother!
EL HERMANITO ESTABA teniendo algunos problemas financieros. Se quedó sin gastar dinero antes de su liga de bolos del sábado, que es el día más importante de su semana. Tomó un poco de un lado a otro con la oficina que administra la residencia y la oficina principal, pero no había nada sospechoso. Solo una confusión con el Seguro Social que pronto (espero, espero) se resolverá.
Mientras tanto, la oficina le prestó dinero para que no se perdiera de jugar bolos en las últimas dos semanas (ya se había perdido tres) y San Geraldo y yo enviamos dinero a su cuenta para ayudarlo a sobrevivir hasta que se resuelva el problema. Él ya ha pagado la oficina. Pero sabía que podíamos despedirnos de nuestro dinero. Entonces, le dije que lo considerara un regalo de cumpleaños. ¡Un regalo de cumpleaños muy GRANDE, ya que generalmente solo le envío una tarjeta!
Sí, The Kid Brother está envejeciendo. Tendrá 59 años de edad (jadeo) el martes. (No sé cómo sucedió ya que solo tengo 29 años.)
Mi Madre La Duquesa Viuda fue la quinta de siete hijos — nueve años menor que su hermana mayor y nueve años mayor que la menor. Hasta el día en que murió, se refirió a la más joven como “mi hermanita”. ¡Su hermanita tenía 80 años!
Pero, ¡saludos a El Hermanito que siempre será … El Hermanito!
1961 
1999
2000. SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE. / ALGUNAS COSAS NUNCA CAMBIAN.
Happy Birthday to the Kid Brother! Long may he enjoy bowling!
Debra:
He’s been bowling since he was 5. I had to take him with me when I went with my friends. He’s hooked (but he doesn’t have a hook).
Ahhhh, the kid brother and I are just a few months apart in age!
You are a great brother — I have great sisters, and no brothers, but, you know, great is great… it’s clear. Glad to hear that things are getting straightened out. Yikes.
Judy
Judy:
It’s always such a strange thing for me to contemplate… that my brother is the same age or older than many of my friends. Like I said, forever young. I love what you share about and with your sisters. It warms my heart.
Happy Happy Birthday, Kid Brother!
Bob:
I’ll tell him. He’ll have to sit through our rendition of “happy birthday” on the phone tomorrow.
What a good brother you are – happy birthday to Chuck!
Cheapchick:
He’s made my life difficult at times and he’s enriched it, too.
I just found your blog again. Thanks for coming to mine while I was unable to visit blogs. I wish I had brothers or sisters, younger or older. As one gets older we realize that age is mostly in the mind, although the body knows it too as we may have to replace some parts, just like in an old automobile model. A friend told me he had to go and visit his old aunt, so I said to him don’t call her old, how old is she? Well he said, she is 107! I guess one can be old then…
vagabonde:
I love that story. One Sunday when I was visiting my grandparents, my grandfather came back from some kind of men’s gathering in the neighborhood and told me about a “very, old, old, old, old man” he had been talking with. I laughed and asked, “How old IS he, grandpa?” And he said, “86!” My grandfather was a mere 82 at the time.
I noticed how extremely big the smile in the last picture is.
Mistress Maddie:
Slot machines!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHUCK! glad he has a sport outing to look forward to each week. you are a good brother, mitchell.
anne marie:
He’s got bowling in fall and winter, and softball in spring and summer. He LIVES for them both. That and skee-ball with us when we visit.
Happy Birthday to our favourite Kid Brother. And blessings on his young, and loving, Older Brother!
Willym:
Thanks so much. It is unreal to think he’ll be 59! I should probably start calling him The Much Older Brother.
Look at that grateful smile on the ‘Kid Brother’s’ face!!
And yes, Mitchell, you are one good brother to have!
Jim:
Chuck loves to win on OUR money at the casino.
Jim:
I think he sometimes even appreciates me!
I am sure he does.
Happy Birthday Chuck! I have a “little” brother who is 8 inches taller and more than twice my weight.
Wilma:
As you can see, I tower over Chuck. My sister and I got the height in the family. She towered over him, too!
What a great story, is that bowling for dollars? Hope he has a great Birthday.
Laurent:
Slot machines in Palm Springs! But Jerry’s mother was on the Big Bowl show in South Dakota years back. She was also inducted into the South Dakota Women’s Bowling Hall of Fame.
Her Kid Sister was 80!
Who is this person? A new character on the blog?
Kenosha:
I lied, though, The Kid Sister hadn’t yet turned 80; she was 4 months shy. Anyway, I don’t think the Kid Sister would appreciate the attention if I started telling stories about her.
Happy birthday to the Kid Brother. I hope he bowls a strike (I hope I got that terminology right.)
Kirk:
Good job. You didn’t say you hope he bowls a home run!
You are so fortunate to have each other.
Urspo:
Ain’t it just great… Ain’t it just grand… We got each other. And now I’ll dance off…
Many happy returns!
This is my 3rd attempt to place a comment – I tried to say you two are fortunate to have each other.
Urspo:
And you were successful (finally) all three times. Ah… WordPress (still better than Blogger). And Chuck is triply blessed.
Happy Birthday to Your Kid Brother, from another Kid Brother. After 60 years, my oldest brother still refers to me as his “Little Brother”.
David:
I guess that’s the standard. When I started college, I told a friend my big sister was coming to visit. He was shocked when she arrived and was shorter than me (although not by much) and she was slender. It made me think twice about that phrase, at least in her case.