Monkey Boy

Birthday week has ended. My sister was here with her husband and baby girl. My brother-in-law, David, totally redid my Mom’s front porch, which was great for her but a little frustrating for the birthday girls (Torey, July 6, Me, July 8) and my two big kids who are all raving fans of an alter ego of David’s called, Monkey Boy.

Monkey Boy is a tall, shrieking, wild-eyed creature who came into being the one day last year that Torey and David were able to swim in our pool. We had just taken possession of the house and hadn’t even moved yet. I was deep in buyer’s remorse as every surface needed to be painted or replaced. My friends, I do not exaggerate. I am talking carpet in the dining room, carpet in the kitchen, carpet in the bathrooms – plush. Don’t try to imagine it, you will most likely pass out and be unable to finish what is mainly a happy post. I am not even going to tell you about the walls. Another time I will tell you more about my buyer’s remorse, just know I had it – BAD.

David was goofing around with the older kids while Torey and I kept an eye on the babies. I don’t know what inspired David to start acting like the largest monkey this world has ever seen, but he did. Using the diving board as a tiny stage he started preening and grooming and shrieking. My kids fell in love immediately, ran and got the hose and began spraying him, which was a reasonable and clever response. Monkey Boy hated that and the shrieking increased. He chased my kids and wrestled away the hose, lost control and was vigorously hosed down again. Torey and I were dying. At one point Monkey Boy grabbed at her and tried to pick her up. He made me nervous up close. I preferred him on the diving board. This went on for a couple of hours. Laughing maniacally, clutching my stomach I knew this was worth the future work inside the house.

That Fall we planned all the fun we would have next year. Torey and David lived in Illinois at the time and many weekends up here with us were the given. And then they moved to British Columbia to support David’s sister as she went through her second round of leukemia. They planned to spend Christmas with us. David would then drive the moving truck and Torey would fly out with the baby. The day they were coming up, several days before Christmas, David began to feel uneasy about backtracking up here. After prayer they decided he should start for Canada immediately. It was so sad not to have him. It was only the second Christmas since my Dad’s death and both my brothers got stranded in airports on Christmas day. There were so few of us.

The good of David not being there was that it allowed me to realize what we lost without his presence. Sure there weren’t a lot of beer bottles on my counter (He is Canadian.) and there were half as many jackets strewn about (just Torey’s) but there also was no big family cookfest, no massive snow fort built and barely any wacky schemes. He was terribly missed.

I told him this last week, how much fun he is when he is around, how much I love him and how grateful I am he is my brother. Telling him this I was tempted to throw it away with a silly voice, as if it was a joke. Paul and I do this too often. But I stood firm and spoke the love in truth.

It was a great week. Why does time fly when you’re having fun?

Oh Monkey Boy how we miss you! Thanks for bringing back my sister and your odd little duck. Your next visit will not be soon enough.

Our hose is always waiting for you.