My Brother was an Only Child

My brother, Peter, turns 80 June 17^th.  We will celebrate this significant event with dinner for our family at my home.  Its a significant event and needs to be celebrated.

He is 9 years, 10 months and one week older than I am.  Therefore, Peter was an only child for 9 years, 10 months and one week..  Then I came along. (One of Jack Paar's guests back in when, apparently wrote a book by that title.)

Sociologists teach that siblings more than 7 years apart are more like first cousins than siblings.  I can’t comment since I never had a sibling close in age.  However, it has been interesting to have a much older brother.  He went off to college when I was 8.  He graduated college when I was 12 and graduated law school the same year I graduated high school.  I had many of the same teachers as he did, just 10 years later.  He was a grandfather at 51 while I had little children that year.  It is only since we grew older that our interests have merged.  His being away during college and his time in the service means that I was at home alone but there always was the spectrum of my brother in the house.  He did take me to my first Broadway play in 1953 and we went occasionally over my teen ears.. However, I’ve been going ever since.  He stopped going years ago.  I saw my last show June 8, 2011 and hope to continue going as long as I can.

He has 4 sons of whom I am very fond.  They have been very important to me always.  I was going off to college when the first one, Peter, Jr. was born and I remember clearly, when each arrived.  David was born in Ohio December 26 the following year.  Jeff was born on Labor Day in 1964 while David stayed with my parents.  Michael came just before Christmas, while I was in medical school.  I had visited friends and we chatted about the expected arrival.  We all hoped for a girl, after 3 boys.  At my home, a letter from my parents announced Michael’s arrival.  I called my friend and told her, “Rosemary’s name is Michael.”  We spent each Christmas together as long as my mother was alive and still have a Holiday Dinner each year at my home.  

My first child was that elusive girl and Peter was delighted.  He is very fond of Margaret.  When she was little he said he never wanted to see her in pants; his niece wears dresses.  Now he has 2 granddaughters who dote on him, 3 grandsons, and 3 great-grandsons.