Pete

I love my brother, Pete.

You know how you feel when there's just someone who "gets" you, and thinks similarly? You don't have to waste words. It's just there.

So the other night before he moves, he arrives via taxi to our house at 2:30 a.m., as is his MO when he is in town. Don't ask. The next morning, he's all huffy. "Amy, can you take me to get my car? I don't mean to rush you, but maybe in the next 30 seconds or so? I'm very busy, you know,....." This, of course, leads to my dragging my feet, grumbling, reminding him that he could always give advance notice of his fly-by visits....

But those 20 or so minutes I get him alone in the car--I could just sop him up. Invariably, we grab coffee. We forego the small talk, and jump instead straight to the things that are most weighing on us. Religion, politics, relationships, hopes, insecurities....everything I bring up, it's as if he has already thought the same thoughts I'm having, and vice-versa. The other day, we covered soul mates, life goals, higher education, and were starting into a quick but deep conversation on salvation's security when a bee flew into the window and into Pete's collar. One 130 degree turn on two wheels in 11 seconds later, we are laughing hysterically and feeling the weight of the world slip from our shoulders--for a few minutes, anyway.

He's on his way here, now. Came up for Derby, and to stay with us while David's here. Can't wait. It's hilarious to me that this absent-minded genius nerd kid has grown into such a dear friend of mine, but it's true. I love him unequivocally. I don't know what I'll do when it occurs to him that some people call first before busting up in the middle of the night.