I got up at 4:35 a.m. this morning to drive my youngest brother, Pat, to the airport after a week’s visit to Wisconsin. He was already up, dressed, and had neatly made the guest bed. The trip to the airport is only 15 minutes door to door, and I assumed we’d complete it largely in not-yet-caffeinated silence. I was completely wrong, and the random string of topics discussed deserves its own post.
Pat is a bit of a conundrum. He’s this odd combination of ridiculously coddled youngest brother / son and curmudgeonly old man. For evidence, I cite some of the commentary that issued forth from the passenger’s seat from 4:45-5:00 en route to General Mitchell Airport:
Young man: [on Jimmy’s life quest for a perfect credit score] “What is Jimmy even going to do with that high credit score? Better to use it now and get some joy out of it. Whaddya gonna do? Carve it on your tombstone?”
Old man: “You know what I really hate? Seeing the sunrise. That just means I got out of bed too early. Who needs that crap?”
Young man: “I don’t like to be cold, but I also don’t want a puffy coat. Yeah, you look pretty comfortable over there in that knee length number, but I only have to walk three blocks to the subway.” Every day. In sub-zero weather.
Old man: And speaking of sleep . . . “I don’t know about those people who claim to enjoy getting up early to exercise. Me? I need as much sleep as I can get. Around 9-10 hours a night.”
Young man: “I also don’t like hats, and I only have only ever liked one pair of earmuffs, and I’m pretty sure Louise lost them.”
Old man: “Google? Who needs it? I just text my sisters when I need answers to questions.” (e.g., What season will it be when we’re in Germany? What time does the DMV open? What does mom want for Christmas?)
Young man: “No, I’m pretty sure they’ll let me check these hand weights and 15# geology text that I brought from mom and dad’s. [2 hours later…via text….] Yeah, I’m carrying a geology textbook in my arms through the airport because *apparently* my bag was over weight.” [to be fair, this was actually from a previous trip to the airport.]
I hope that some of his friends / associates might read this and contribute other ways in which he’s a hopeless mix of naivete and old man crustiness. It was great having you home, Pat!!!
That my godson!!!!
And we (I) love him!