Today is Your Birthday...
Today my brother Ted would turn 47 years old. But he had a drug problem, a self image problem and never could turn the corner. It is weird because he was the type of person that fit in with everyone, rich, poor, clean cut, raggedy, didn't matter...
I loved him so much. He died just over three months ago. I still can't believe he is gone...
Ted was always the funny brother. He could always make you laugh. He was the “life of the party!”
I can honestly say, “To know him, was to love him.” Ted had an infectious mischievousness about him. He is often referred to as “Teddy.” He would draw you in and before you knew it, you were a co-conspirator in some endeavor.
Ted was always the funny brother. He could always make you laugh. He was the “life of the party!”
I can honestly say, “To know him, was to love him.” Ted had an infectious mischievousness about him. He is often referred to as “Teddy.” He would draw you in and before you knew it, you were a co-conspirator in some endeavor.
He had a special relationship with our mom. He could make her laugh instantly. She couldn't’t stay mad at him for long, and she could never say “No” to him. We used to watch T.V. and send Ted in to ask for a treat. She could never deny him, never. Many times, after telling one of us siblings “No.” we would send Ted in a few minutes later and he would always come back with the goods. Usually ice cream! I don’t know why that was, but it was!
Ted and I would make up many games growing up. We played the “interception game” on our street in front of our house as children. It took three players, a quarterback, a receiver, and a defensive back to guard the receiver. We had two routes we would run. Route “A” and Route “B” I remember getting taken out by the side view mirror of a parked car one day as I went out for a pass, looking back for the ball, as I caught the pass from Ted and turned to run up field, my face smashed into the side view mirror of our car. My feet flew out from underneath me, and down I went, blood all over.
We used to play “Home run Derby’ with a Wiffle ball and bat. We would hit from our yard, the pitcher standing across the street in the neighbors yard. A home run was to hit the ball onto any of the two houses across our street. To get a turn at bat you had to catch a fly ball or strike the batter out. One day, Ted hit a home run up on the Nelsons’ roof and it got stuck in their gutter. I had to climb up on their roof to retrieve the ball. Little did I know that there was a bee’s nest in the gutter. I agitated them and they swarmed after me. I was barefoot at the time and only wearing cut off jeans. I did two complete circles and ran straight off the roof. Ted says it was the funniest thing he ever saw as my feet continued churning the air as I was flying off the roof, I landed barefoot on the driveway and didn’t miss a beat as I flew past him and into the house. I out ran those bees and they only stung me three times.
Ted and I would make up many games growing up. We played the “interception game” on our street in front of our house as children. It took three players, a quarterback, a receiver, and a defensive back to guard the receiver. We had two routes we would run. Route “A” and Route “B” I remember getting taken out by the side view mirror of a parked car one day as I went out for a pass, looking back for the ball, as I caught the pass from Ted and turned to run up field, my face smashed into the side view mirror of our car. My feet flew out from underneath me, and down I went, blood all over.
We used to play “Home run Derby’ with a Wiffle ball and bat. We would hit from our yard, the pitcher standing across the street in the neighbors yard. A home run was to hit the ball onto any of the two houses across our street. To get a turn at bat you had to catch a fly ball or strike the batter out. One day, Ted hit a home run up on the Nelsons’ roof and it got stuck in their gutter. I had to climb up on their roof to retrieve the ball. Little did I know that there was a bee’s nest in the gutter. I agitated them and they swarmed after me. I was barefoot at the time and only wearing cut off jeans. I did two complete circles and ran straight off the roof. Ted says it was the funniest thing he ever saw as my feet continued churning the air as I was flying off the roof, I landed barefoot on the driveway and didn’t miss a beat as I flew past him and into the house. I out ran those bees and they only stung me three times.
Another game we made up was rather interesting. We would go down to the park and swing on the swing. Someone would stand in front of the swing behind this bar and throw a football at you while you were swinging. Your job was to block the ball with your feet or catch it. If it hit you anywhere on your body, it was the ball throwers turn to swing. We employed three people in this game as well, One throwing the football, one on the swing and one behind the swing to push the swinger and to retrieve errant thrown footballs.
Ted and I played together on the same Little League teams growing up. Ted was an excellent pitcher. I used to love watching him pitch from my vantage point in center field. I used to laugh when, being left handed, Ted would throw a nasty curve that dropped into the right handed batters, many times they would swing and miss this pitch and it would hit them in the foot. He was a fast runner and could hit well too! He was an excellent outfielder. Ted’s 12 year old Little League team won the State of Washington. Our whole family went to San Bernadino, California to watch them play and root them on.
We golfed together, fished together, played ball together, got high together, got in and out of trouble together, went to Mariners games and on and on and on...
Love you bro...
Wish you were here!
posted by Timmy Jimmy @ 1:03 AM
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