Wednesday, October 7, 2009

A Thin Line Between Love and Hate Pt. II

If you are just joining us and are to lazy to go back and read the last blog, here is a brief explanation to catch you up. This post is a continuation of talking about the love and hate relationship that can be had within a family especially between brothers. Last week we dove into the world of my brother Matt who probably has a second life that we don't know about, because he never gives a straight answer. Just the other night, I was over there and asked him where he had been all day. The answer I got......"out". Ohhhh out! I thought you were hiding upstairs, so I proceeded to punch him in the gut for getting smart with me. See my belief is you can never be to old to beat on your brother to set him straight. I digress, let's go back to the comment I had about my brother Matt having a wife we don't know about. As much as we all thought he would be the one to do that, we had a curve ball, and was shocked by the news that it was my youngest brother Ruben Jr. who decided to pull that stunt. So lets meet Ruben.

The youngest of four, Ruben and I share 6 years between us. So growing up we really didn't have anything in common for we were both at different stages of life. However, as adults we have a lot in common and find ourselves hanging out a lot. You may be asking why did the youngest son get the Jr. name as opposed to the first born. All I have to say to that is, well, someone up there is looking out for me. Just kidding, Ruben is a great name........cough.......this is awkward.

So where were we? Ahh yes, so my brother Ruben. So, as a child my brother was probably one of the sweetest, nicest, and cutest kids you could ever meet. Then he hit 13 and we traded him in for a rude smelly teenager. Now, I don't know if I'm exaggerating a little because he was the only sibling I really got to see go through puberty without me going through it as well, but seriously the tude on that kid. However, there are some certain characteristics that he has that has been the same ever since he was a kid that makes his character in this life story funny.

Have you ever been watching a video or TV show and something happens that is really embarrassing for that person on the video? Well, my brother Ruben probably gets more embarrassed than the person that it is actually happening to. A good example would be the auditions of American Idol. He can not watch those episodes. He will sit in his chair with a pillow over his face and his ears, so he can have no part of this embarrassing act. It does it no justice to explain it, this is something you have to see for yourself. So I suggest if you're ever around him, play an embarrassing clip for him, sit back, and watch the fun.

Ruben, is also a Marine and served two tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are very proud as a family that he did that. As a Marine, I am sure at war he saw some crazy stuff. So, I understand why he loves war movies which some of them can be pretty violent, but if any of those movies have a dog getting hurt, forget about it, he will not have any part of it. I am pretty sure if it came down to saving me or a random dog from getting hurt the dog would be typing this blog.

Over the last couple of years my brother and I have grown closer. While overseas he would tell me stuff he wouldn't tell our parents for the fact that they would get worried. I drove with him across the country, so that he didn't have to do it alone when he was going back to base. So, I would say we had a pretty open relationship....or so I thought. It was a Sunday night, I was at home with my son and wife, when I got a phone call from my Mother. She says to me in her excited voice, "You will never guess the news I have". I thought to myself, great mom found five bucks in her couch again. "Your brother Ruben is married, and has been married for the last year!". Now, don't get me wrong I love his wife, she is a great person, but seriously. So I proceeded to call my brother and my not so new sister-n-law and was like WTF(what the fudge, grandma). So after the initial shock, I was excited for them, but like I mentioned before I never saw this coming from Ruben. I can see Matt doing this but not my baby brother. On the bright side I get to hold this over him and his wife Erica for the rest of thier lives. It has supplied me with a fair share of zingers and free haircuts.

Stay tuned next week for the anticipated episode about the person who my brother Ruben was named after....dun dun dun!

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