Ode To The Yidda Guy

Today is my birthday! The sun is intense today. What I really want to do is go to the beach, but there is so much to do: chores, planting, play practice, chores, Will's game. All really good things, but what I really want to do is go to the beach today.

It is about 2:30 in the pm. I am heading over to Will's baseball game. He's gonna get a hit today I can feel it. On the way I think of my brother so I give him a call. He answers, "Hey, how are you, I was going to give you a call. How is it going?"

"All is good, but I was wondering if you would want to go to the beach for an evening swim."

"You know I was going to call you with that exact suggestion."

"Really?" I say, smiling! "Great, let's call back after our kids are done." You know I don't know if he really means it, or if he was just pacifying me and being supportive, but whatever the reason I know he loves me.

My baby brother was my first playmate,
my anchor,
my chess mate,
my competitor,
my project,
my sledding buddy,
my bouy,
my practical joker,
my first best friend.

later that day, I get a call from Rob, it is about 4:30. "What's going on?" He is tired, I can hear it in his voice. "I came home to get the girls ready and then fell on my bed." I know he would love to take a nap. He usually gets up at 4:30 in the morning to get to his job. He doesn't get much time to just rest.

"I am just waiting to find out who wants to go with me." I am referring to the beach. "Do you still want to go?"

"Oh yeah!" he says enthusiastically. "I got my wetsuit! Do you have yours? The girl are excited, We're going."
I don't know if he really wanted to. I know he would have enjoyed staying there in that incline position after watching games, and attending team parties, but he made me feel like he wanted to. He made me feel loved.

We meet up at the 91 and head further west. We talk as the girls giggle in the back. He tells me about Elyse's game, I tell about Will's. We talk about religion, faith, lessons of life, he listens to me. I feel loved.

As we approach the beach, the sun's warmth is stifled by the clouds. We get out of the car and head down to the beach. The girls run, we saunter talking all the while. There is no sun, but the rays that escape the bulk of the overcast sky, streak the horizon like yellow satin ribbons.

The girls strip their clothes and sprint to the water.

We set up, sit down and watch the girls romp and play and wave us into the water, "C'mon, the water isn't that cold!" they shout from the breaking waves.

"I don't know Rob, it looks pretty cold. What do you think?"

"I think you can do what you want but I am not going." This comment was expected. Rob is known to sit at the beach with a towel on his body or over his head. He doesn't like too much sun and despises the cold. I normally don't mind the cold, but today I am feeling a bit comfortable in my chair with my long sleeves on. The water looks clear and the girls are having fun, but then we spy little Clara who is standing 10 ft in from the edge shivering. She runs up to us and asks for a towel. "How is the water Clara?"

"Cold!"

"I don't know Rob, maybe 43 is the age that I say no to the cold and stay here in the chair where it is comfortable." There is always an age where one decides that they are too old to do something, anything. They just stop. I remember when my dad stopped body surfing with us. He must have been around 65. I would say it was about 10 years ago. My dad used to brag about being Papa Surf. He could ride the waves to the very end and his belly would scape against the sand. But one summer, he didn't swim with us anymore. Now matter how many times we asked him. It was sad, but we understood. My mom on the other hand, never stopped. She played in the surf in her 69th year, She played til the end

"No way, your going in the water for your birthday swim." my brother says playfully.

"Your not swimming!" I come back to him.

"That is me, not you. I know you! Your going to get in there, or I am going to throw you in there."

"No your not!", I say smiling

"Yes I am." he says, not smiling. Emma and Clara giggle.

The girls continue to beckon me from the the water. They charge the beach and come to the blanket for a chip and dip.

"Come in the water. It isn't that bad!" Lily says, but Lily swims now matter what. She is tough like I was, before I was 43.

"Girls go take Aunt Stacy in the water. She wants to go swimming." and I do. I really do but need some encouragement because of the conditions. "You take her with you, she wants to go."

With some encouragement, I strip off my long sleeves and march in a determined fashion towards the water. The girls march beside me escorting me to my gift to myself. The water was cold, breathtaking, and I don't mean beautiful, not at first, just cold. But then after a few minutes, the steel blue water began to warm my skin or hypothermia began to set in, what ever the reason I began to enjoy the swim. We jumped and laughed and rode in some waves and I was filled. I guess 43 wasn't the age I said no more! Thanks Rob, for being there for me and encouraging me and making my birthday memorable. You have always been there for me. I feel loved.

I Love You!