Happy Birthday, Jonathan!

Today is my brother's birthday. He came to visit while my sister and nephew were here from Buenos Aires. Although he was a bit of a pest when we were kids, I have to admit - and not reluctantly, I might add - that he has turned out to be a great guy.

Only a good dude would play "Elebator" (my nephew's way of saying "elevator") for hours on end and before having his first cup of coffee in the morning. My nephew invented the game at our house. We have a broom closet with a folding door. So, one evening my nephew opened the door and said it was his "elebator". He would squeeze in and close the door. Then he would say "Unnncclllee Jooooohhhhnnathan! Where am I?" followed by hysterical giggles. My brother would go around saying, "Where's Marcos? I can't find him!" and Marcos would laugh and laugh.

Only a guy in touch with his inner child and willing to be completely crazy just to entertain his nephew would play shark attack. We visited the aquarium with Marcos and Laura. They have a shark cage simulator. You stand in this darkened room that is made up to look like a shark cage. On the screen in front of you they have a movie of great white sharks coming toward the cage, knocking it about and generally trying to eat you. There is a plate in the floor that moves as the sharks hit the cage.

The sign outside the exhibit proclaims in large letters - Exhibit may be too intense for some children. Please use discretion. We ignored that sign and went in.

For the next 5 minutes it was a B movie gone bad. Jonathan told Marcos if he was trapped in a cage with sharks attacking to punch the sharks in the face. Then, Jonathan began shadow boxing with the sharks, while his older sister, also in touch with her inner child, began giving color commentary. Marcos just laughed. The people outside the exhibit looked at us as if we had lost our minds when we exitted.

Every time my brother visits, I like to do something just the two of us. Usually, we plan to go to a movie. It's not a tradition, exactly, but we have similar senses of humor and like a good horror or shootem' film. The two of us went to see The Book of Eli, not a super movie, but the company was great. We skipped lunch and had giant popcorns at the movie. We sat talking through the previews about the probable crappiness or awesomeness of the movie advertised. Then we watched the movie.

The thing that is so interesting about getting older, is that your siblings surprise you. Somehow they go from the little kid that wets the bed and then tortures the older sibs by trying to sleep with them in their warm, dry bed, to a dude who is compassionate and gives a crap about the world he lives in. Somehow they go from the kid who, with his best friend, crop dusted the school van so thoroughly the driver threatened to put them off while the rest of us gagged, to a dude who holds a responsible job and has a responsible degree.

My only regret is that now when we enjoy each other the most, we live so far apart. So, through the distance, I raise a glass of good bourbon in honor of your birthday, Jonathan. Wish we could share one together.