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rick-pa-tick
--- about, and to, a lifelong hero, by his bigsis!
The newscast promised terrorism, as we planned to end our schism, air flight bringing Rick-pa-tick to brighten February! So, I, tonight instead of sleep, With snowfall lovely, cold and deep, write of him upon a whim - the concept's much less scary! The odds, you see, still favor me: His plane will not be hijacked Besides, I think the hijacker'd be more than likely ransacked! If Rick -pa-tick is on the plane, The badguys better run! My Brother was a Red Beret, he'd " take 'em out" for fun! In fact, he'd make a super spy, Though tall, his looks are affable; At midlife, showed them off for cash, la! la! - so photographable! Since I was only two when brother Rick-pa-tick was born, First memories are hazy ones, and sometimes plain forlorn, Since, as a babe, he still was born the classic-type Aquarius, Whose sneeze became high fevers till the whole house was precarious. His soul was kind and loving, and I liked his friendship, true. A friend to share my parents with, and play with sometimes, too! Somehow, we never seemed to drive or aim at one another, but shared the grand adventure life delivered, with no bother. His tastes were thought a bit outre, in re: the culinary - Though the tale of it is one he might prefer to bury. A natural "vegan" long before the term itself was used, His dietary prefs were such that left us all confused. One mid-morning, Mother wondered at Rick's where-abouts. Without success, became distressed, and full of anxious doubts. When, from the kitchen cupboards came distinctly, sounds of crunching. And Mother found him seated in the cupboard - dogfood-munching! Milk bone biscuits looked to him a perfect midday snack, His teeth, today, are white for it, tho' Mother's jaw went slack! And I,of course, at five years old, would play at "Mommy prep", And with my friends we'd play "pretends" and do a dainty step. If we were good, my best friend's Mom would treat us, in those days, to real china dolly plates to practice teatime ways! Or blue-paint shiny tinny ones for mudpies served with pride, Would make the day a sunny one, a party held outside! "Come and have some mudpies, please! Look! They have red berries!" And tea to drink as well, and so our party will be merry!" And Rick-pa-tick, of course would be our guest and "practice case", And try the tea and mudpies, with a smile upon his face! All too soon, our Mother's call would mark the party's end, But happily, since morning would begin it all again. "Let's wash up for dinner, now, I'll help you, do you need?.. ...and Father's singing, home from work, our table is complete." But that was not the truth of it, with one more chair to fill, A brand-new baby sister soon arrived, to fill the bill! With sister AND a brother now, I had the "whole shebang"! Three makes a corporation, and so the household sang ! And truly so, since now Tide Mill Equipment Service shone On old garage property , next door, the house, our own. The real estate, our Mother's, and parents' starter place, Rented out, redecorated and tenant's marks erased. We missed our friends on Redding Road, but make adjustments well Work and school and new old friends gave happy tales tales to tell (skipping a few years here , will fill it in soon) His growth at teenage growth-spurt time is on the public record - He used to trash his sandwiches, now gulped them doulble-deckered ! And not for fat. New height and power seemed to be his path ! His "Clark-Kent-into-Superman" gave all a joyful laugh ! At breakfast WE were banjo-eyed, when Rick's morning "needies" Involved the 3-quart mixing bowls with most of all the Wheaties... ..."The Cherrios , the Lucky Charms, Shredded Wheat and Raisin Bran And Mother eyes and mine agog, our Rick-pa-tick a Man ! Shall we call you Richard, now? or would you rather , Rich ? He, Shuffling now , like Dick Van Dyke, resisting awkward itch ! We sufferred such anxiety in his fragile days ! So now we asked his autograph, and sang "hip, hip, hoorays!" The war was looking for him, and he golfed, ran, swam, ski-ed, fenced When grumpy teachers tried to tease , he no longer tense.. Studied elsewhere, all these years and counsels what he learned. Stay fit, eat smart, and share your heart, and life won't leave you burned ! More writings linked from an elle fagan artsite homepage |
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