2
Life with brother
Many times, when people ask me
where I live and I tell them I live off
campus in an apartment with my
younger brother, they stare at me as if
to say, “You live with your brother?
Are you crazy?”
Maybe I am crazy. After all, sharing
an apartment with a younger brother
definitely has some drawbacks.
For example, who else has a handle
on all the little things that get under
your skin? Fred knows just what to do
to annoy me, like jumping out from
behind things and yelling “Boo!”
Of course, this is not a major
problem, unless you’re the kind of
person who likes to read stories about
murder and mayhem. Then it can get
a little scary.
Then there’s the topic of the car
and my driving.
Whenever we go somewhere
together, Fred insists upon driving. I’m
a good driver, I tell him. In fact, I just
got a slip in the mail telling me I can
renew my driver’s license simply by
filling it out and mailing it in, because
I’m a safe driver.
I don’t understand what Fred’s
problem is.
The fact that I had two accidents —
one right after the other — has
nothing to do with it
And there’s the problem of
snitching.
What other roommate is more than
willing to report to your parents the
number of classes you’ve missed in
the past two weeks? (Or,actually, the
number of classes you’ve actually
managed to attend.)
But the major problem of living
with my brother is that he can be my
worst enemy. He knows the ins and
outs of my character and he won’t fail
to exploit my weaknesses in a fit of
anger.
After all, he has plenty of
ammunition. He knows everything
I’ve ever done in my entire life, with
the exception of the first 16 months.
But perhaps the fact that he knows
me so well is also part of what makes
our situation work so well.
His 9-foot reach compensates for
the fact that I’m 5-feet short. He takes
care of the housework because he
knows that I work eight hours a night
(He’s quite good at washing dishes.
How many other people can say they
have a live-in housekeeper?)
But living with a brother brings
something else to a relationship that
another roommate can never share —
a blood tie. And with that blood tie
comes one of the truest friends a
person could ever have.
Even your closest friends may turn
against you if you’ve hurt them badly
enough. But regardless of what
happens in your lives, a brother will
somehow always be there.
Granted, blood does not guarantee
or even provide a built-in friendship.
Fred and I had to fight, push and
shove for years before we became as
close as we are now. But because we
tried so hard, we built our friendship
into something that will surpass time.
So, am I crazy? The jury’s still out
on that one. But if you ask if I’m crazy
for living with my brother, the answer
has to be a resounding “no. ”
And please don’t stare.
Robbyn L Lister, a senior journalism
major, is news editor and assistant city
editor for The Battalion.
This weeks attention!! photo was taken by Karen Kroesche, a senior journalism major, staff writer and copy editor
for The Battalion and ex-head honcho of At Ease.