Bobby, I miss you so much. I cannot believe you are gone. This pain is so unbearable.
I will always remember how I took you everywhere with me and my friends. You were the little sidekick. I remember so clearly, even today, that afternoon in the summer when my friend and I were walking up to the Brookhaven Shopping Center. We just got to the corner of our street and she turned around and then said: "Your brother is following us." I said to you, "Bobby, go home." (Just like someone would tell their puppy to go home. Lol!) You were only about 4 years old. You said, "No, I want to go with you." So I scooped you up and took you back home and told mom you were going with us.Then we ran back up to my friend and went on to where we were going.
I remember the time Lisa and I took you with us to the Nifty Norms drug store that used to be in Brookhaven (a long, long time ago). You were about 5 years old. We were picking something up for mom. Right at the exit door on the wall across from the cashier they had a wooden barrel filled with bubble gum, and it wasn't free for the taking. As I was paying the cashier, and Lisa was standing next to me, you were filling your pockets with gum, but none of us knew it. We left the store and started walking home. We got to the end of the shopping center sidewalk, Lisa and I noticed you had a wad of gum in your mouth and were struggling to chew it. We asked where you got it and you told us from the free gum barrel. Your pockets were loaded! We turned around and took you back to the store and gave them all the (unchewed and wrapped) gum back. I said we would pay for what we couldn't give back, but the cashier just laughed and said don't worry about it, it happens.
I remember when you decided to be Evel Knievel, and rode your three wheeler off the picnic table in the backyard and broke your leg. We were supposed to go to the zoo the next day, but mom and dad had taken you to the hospital. They called us and said your leg was broke. Lisa and I went up to the attic and brought down the old baby stroller because we were determined to go to the zoo. When they got home, we said let's go, he can ride in the stroller, but they said no we couldn't. Boy, were we mad at you that day.
Later that summer we went camping in Sinnemahoning State Park and you almost fell face first into the camp fire because you couldn't wait for anyone to help you with roasting a marshmallow. You were sitting in your wheelchair and reach so far forward that you and the chair were heading straight for the fire. I screamed, and dad turned and grabbed you by the back of the shirt just in time. Of course, I got in trouble because I screamed, and you got the marshmallow roasted like you wanted. You were a brat.
And in 1976, the year I graduated from high school, I took you to school for your first day of kindergarten. Mom and dad were not able to do it because of work, so I said I would. I didn't have to be to work until 9:00. So, I held your hand and we walked the half block to Parkside Elementary. I remember walking around to the back part of the building where the kindergarten rooms were. We walked in and the teacher came up and I told her your name. She bent down on her knee and said hi to you and then looked at me and said your son is adorable. He has your red hair. I said: "He's not my son; he's my brother." The look on her face was funny.
There are so many, many happy memories, and those will keep you in our heart forever. You grew up and became bigger than us, but you were, and always will be, our baby brother. Love you baby bro.
