That was a surprise.

.

.

A call.  I thought it would probably be a hoax call.  Still, I thought I'd see.  It was my brother.  Initially I was a bit worried.  But I answered as quickly as possible, which ended up being quick enough.  Since I hadn't heard from him in so long, I worried that, maybe, something was wrong with mom.  But, no... just... calling to talk.

Having gone to bed after six, I am pretty sure, a noon call was a bit early.  Still, I wanted to make sure he could talk his head off, if he wanted.  Mostly listened.  Though I did commiserate.  I told him that the first fifteen years out, I tried hard to end it.  Draino.  He said he was there, got a call from the life-flight.  I said I didn't remember calling.  He said, no, the flight crew had called the family.  I hadn't known that either.  But, yeah.  I told him I haven't met, or heard of, anyone else who survived draino consumption.  I've heard of others, but none that survived.  Yea, I get the pain he's going through.  And, still, if we are here, we gotta do.

Talked a bit about bootcamp.  Theirs, Air Force, was similar to mine, Navy.  And that first payday... so small, because we had to pay for our clothes and all sorts of things.  He got injured in the AF, but made it to retirement.  And more.  But, one day, he went to bed and the next he couldn't walk, had no choice but to finally seek surgery.  Three vertebra had to be removed, two others had to be... adjusted, and bone fragments from the accident had to be removed from the nerve entries into his spinal column... oh, and the ridges had to be removed.

He is still in horrible shape.  He can walk, mostly.  But he has a lot of limits.  More than I have, in some ways.  If we probably aren't too far apart in capacity?  Depends on the day.  I can still pull off miracles.  I am not sure he can.  Though, those miracles might cost a month of near dirt-napping, I can, sometimes, do them.

Good long talk.  His daughter has one more year for her masters at Colombia.  His second daughter is a senior this year?  Sheesh, but they grow up fast.  Anyway... I am awake, now.  For a bit?  It was cold up there, 70, 72?  Near me.  Cooler in the rest of the room.  It doesn't exactly make sense, but I'll take it.  Though, I really would like to get another blanket or two up there.  Very strange.  Later.