Fred to the Rescue!

When my younger brother, Fred and I were kids, our Mom was really mad at me and demanded that I explain why I kicked Fred in the groin. I said, "It's not my fault, he turned around!"

This is a tribute to my brother, Fred. Yes, he's alive and well and I think its better to do this sort of thing while the person can read it, don't you?

A while back, I wrote a blog about the people in my life that I can always count on. I must have had a senior moment, because I left out Fred, who has been with me through all sorts of adventures, many trying times and just as many fun times.

We had great times as kids, but even better times as adults. Well, at least I did. Sometimes Fred did. To gain complete understanding, you should realize that I am a complete maniac. A moron. A loon. Now we can continue.

Fred was my little buddy and partner in crime. We each loved baseball and we didn't care what object we hit or with what we used for a bat, so long as we could play the game. We lived out in the country, where people burned their trash. We burned ours in a 55 gallon drum.

While the trash was burning, we decided it would be fun to smash up the tin cans and use them as baseballs. My brother, Jim would join us on occasion, which only proves that he's crazy, too. The cans had very jagged edges on them, so if any of us got hit we would certainly be on our way to the hospital, with a tin can baseball stuck in our head.

Luckily, that never happened. There were close calls, but no injuries. Fast forward to the 80's. Fred and I lived together for a while. I got him a job with the company I worked for and we were basically joined at the hip. We played a lot more baseball, too, but now with tennis balls and a bat. We chose tennis balls because as Fred learned once, they don't hurt your head like hardballs.
Once, I was invited to a party, so I asked Fred to come with me. I was a bit of a drinker in those days, so we could have some fun and he would also be the designated driver. The last I remember that night, Fred was sitting in a chair, wearing his sunglasses and staring at me.

We never made it out of the party that night and the next morning when I got up, Fred was still sitting in the same chair, still in the exact same position as the night before. He hadn't slept at all. He was pretty mad at me and I tried to lighten the mood, as always, by being funny. He wasn't laughing. I don't blame him. But, he stayed there with me and didn't take off in my car during the night.

Another time, under very strange circumstances, he went to Disneyland with me, my kids, my estranged wife and some of her family members. We had stayed up all night, were completely exhausted, but I asked him to come with us to try to diffuse what was going to be a very awkward day for me. He went. It had to be weird for him, too, because the tension was high and we were so tired, we went to sleep standing in lines for rides.

Another time, my son, Austin, had chicken pox. His mother and I could not get out of work and Fred was available, so I asked him to care for Austin that day. He didn't even hesitate. He also wound up contracting chicken pox. I know!

There were many more very awkward moments that he readily helped me with, for which I will be forever grateful and too many to include in this blog. I'll mention one huge favor he did for me.

I was moving into an apartment in Long Beach, California. Fred lived five hours north, but once again was there, willing to help me move. At some point during the move, I hurt my back and knees so badly, I could no longer lift anything. Parking was impossible, so we had to park the truck in the Taco Bell lot next to the apartments.

So, not only did Fred finish the move by himself, because I could barely move, he did it from the parking lot next door, refrigerator and all.

My Mom and siblings have all been there for me at one time or another. I know my Mom lovingly prays for my health every day, Jim is there to help in any way he can, as is my sister, Joanna and my other brother, John, to some degree. I'm grateful for all of them. But Fred, I have always been able to count on you. For anything. At anytime.

I love you, my brother.

See you tomorrow.

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