Today is my sister's birthday. She is 5 years older than I am. We shared a bedroom until I was 11. I don't remember too much about it except I was forbidden to touch anything the belonged to her. I think we used to fight a lot. Nothing too harsh, just normal sibling battles. I remember she always had the latest fashions, the hair done. She had tons of friends. They thought I was cute. But who wants to hang out with her baby sister. We didn't have much money, so when my sister wanted a new record or clothes, she earned the money for it by cleaning my nana's kitchen and bathroom. It paid $5. It's not a lot, but $5 went a lot farther in the 1970's. Sometimes, when she was feeling especially generous, she would take me with her when she went to the record store. I was definitely not allowed to touch her albums. That risked the penalty of death. She introduced me to some good music; Stevie Wonder, Jackson 5, Isley Brothers, Parliment Funkadelic, Prince.
When I was old enough to stay home alone, I used to play her albums. I was Behind the Groove with Teena Marie, and Dancing in Boogie Wonderland with Earth, Wind and Fire. I made sure I polished the albums free of fingerprints, and put them back in order. She probably knew anyway. I've always been jealous of her. She could talk to anybody, she was funny and had great hair. She was more beautiful and stylish than I could ever hope to be.
We started to get along well when I was 15. The 5 year gap wasn't so bad, and I wasn't quite as nerdy. I would go out with her and her friends. I was with my sister the first time I got drunk. That was fun, but she cut me off before I got totally plastered. She looked after me a lot of times, and has been with me when the dark times come. I wish I was with her today. I could go for a frozen pina colada. Raise a glass to the woman who knows all my joys, all my fears, and I love with all my heart and soul, April
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