Querido Mi Hermano (Dear Brother)

Querido Mi Hermano (Dear Brother),

Hello brother of mine! How goes everything in sunny California? Boy! I have been thinking a lot of you and Janie. Why? Glad you asked. While searching through the huge box of family photos, I came across pictures of us when we were little people and lived on 6th Street in Illinois! Yeah! Do you remember? Funny memories, right? Well, do you by chance remember how onery you were? Probably not. Let's see if I can jog your memory Antonio!

The story begins. Think back to yesteryear to a neighborhood youth baseball game at Alpiner's park. Yep! Right across from our house on 6th Street. Okay...are you getting the picture yet? Here we, the whole family, are sitting in the bleachers watching YOURRR game. "Batting now is ..., on deck batting fourth, is Tony ...." We all started cheering and of course I yelled, "Hey, remember Dairy Queen!" That's all I could think about. After all, you did tell me the next homerun you hit meant I would get a giant ice cream cone! Well, Bedo did hit a ground ball and made it to first base safely, which meant you were up next. My mouth started tasting the ice cream already--French vanilla double dipped in rich chocolaty chocolate...mmmm. As you slowly stepped into the batter's box, you glanced over your right shoulder up at us while pointing your bat to left-center field.

"What a show-off!" I whispered to Dad. Well, sure enough you connected to send that ball over the fence! You definitely took your time running around those bases though. And of course, all the team was waiting for you at home plate. Are you beginning to flashback to that scene??? Okay, now forward a bit to what happened after the game. Dad and everyone else walked ahead to go home, but I stayed. Moments later you walked out, and we began walking. Immediately, my questions came rolling out.

"Hey Tony, how many homeruns did you hit during the game? How many DQ cards did your coach give you?

Just like a big brother, you said, "Calm down Sis. I remember promising you a large ice cream cone. Wait for me on the front porch, and I will be back in a flash with that giiii-ant ice cream." And so...I waited...and waited.

Hoping soon an image of you would appear returnng on your bike, riding with no hands, holding up a huge ice cream in both hands, I kept glancing down the street. No sign. "What is taking him so long?" I wondered. And pretty soon, here came a faint sound of someone whistling. It was you! Wow! I leaped off the front porch and thought yelling out, "Finally, ice cream! Except, the closer you got, I noticed something was very wrong.

"Tony, what happened to the ice cream on top of the cones?" I asked.

You answered. "Oh, Sis, when I was riding over the railroad tracks, I hit that big bump. You've seen it. Well, the ice cream fell off from the tops. Sorry Sis." You know brother dear, I almost believed you, but then I noticed something white around your mouth.

"Tony, what is that while stuff around your mouth? You didn't hit a bump. You ate the ice cream didn't you???" Well, I guess it didn't turn out too bad though. I mean just at that moment, Dad walked out on the porch and suggested that you give me the rest of both cones. Now, wasn't that nice? :)

You know big brother, I never did ask you what you thought about that little time in our lives. So, now it is your turn to tell me. And when you email me back...a gift certificate will be 2nd-day aired to you...to go...to the Dairy Queen of your choice.

Amo usted, mi hermano

(I love you, my brother)