Halloween is a favorite time of year around our house. While we don’t decorate the outside – orange lights strung in shrubs is not our thing – the inside becomes a vivid display of all things pumpkin. That includes the pumpkin bread I consume in way too large quantities, although no pumpkin spice latte ever crosses our lips.
One reason this date is special is because it’s the birthday of the brother that’s closest to me in age. Mike was born October 31, 1955, which means today is Medicare day number one.
I recall our two oldest brothers telling a story about that date. Then ages nine and six – they went ‘Trick-or-Treating’ in their Fort Worth suburb… by themselves. When people opened their doors, instead of saying those three magic words guaranteed to earn candy, they said, “Our mother just had another boy.”
Mike is a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and friend. He’s run his own insurance agency for more than two decades, built and sold – along with wife Kathy – several custom homes, and can do anything with his hands. He also holds two Masters degrees and recently was ordained a deacon in the Catholic church after many years of study.
He’s a pretty awesome brother, too… now.
Five years older than me, my mother said he would get under my baby crib and kick. He apparently didn’t appreciate having a younger sibling in the house. That’s OK. Mike made it up to me over the years and someday – maybe on his 75th – I’ll let it go.
