to my brother...

i do not talk about my dear brother,Mike,too often,but it is time that i let him know how much i care,love,and respect him... growing up,i must have been a pest to him,because i followed him everywhere i could... even though i was the older brother,by just under a year,i really looked up to him,because he honestly looked after me,in ways that i can not describe,and i appreciated it more than i could ever say... he spent more than a few days suspended from school,along with his best friend Walter,for beating up kids who would make fun of me... in fact,Walter put a kid in a garbage can,one time as i walked by,and then did something which,let me say,that was disgusting... let me say that the kid had to go home and change clothes,but my brother was the person who looked after me growing up... his high school academic career was spotty the first two years,to be kind,but my dear departed mother sat him down and told him that he was going to summer school,and do it until he graduated,and he graduated with Mom's boot up his backside,basically on time... he became an electrician,and then decided to go back to college... he had two years at American River College,and then somehow,got into the University of Southern California(worked his butt off),and graduated,while i was "on the road",so i was surprised when i rejoined the family... in fact,i met his wife,Diana,at their wedding... not until then... however,what a ride,since then... he is a high school english teacher(Mr. Shaw),and has a Master's degree... honestly,what a life from a kid who had fewer than fifteen credits his first two years of high school,to a man of letters,and respect,as a teacher... i care,respect,and love you,my brother,more than i can ever say... from a grateful "Crate"...