Anyone who has a sibling is fully aware that life amongst each other is a continuous competition...usually for parental approval. The same goes for me and my brother, (my real one). My brother was always better at school than I was, mainly because he didn't smoke pot yet, and I did a lot and had way more important things to do with my time, I worked, I drank coffee and smoked cigarettes with my friends, you know...priorities. This was something that my brother was fully aware of, always used it against me while I would come back with "you may be better at school, but more people LIKE me!" Also was true. I had many friends. We grew up, he started smoking pot, I stopped smoking pot and for a short while, we were equals...it was fun while it lasted. I kept waiting for him to go stupid like I did, but that day never came, instead he got smarter, wiser, at least in his world, in mine he was just super condescending. Apparently when he moved out and got his first apartment and job (which I got him, mind you) he came to a realization that his family were simple folk. It's true that we don't add dandelion leaves to our salads and aren't a lentil kind of family, though, I do enjoy lentils. However, my mother is all American, cooks the same 5 meals weekly, just like Peggy Hill. A lot of mothers are like that. They have their signature dishes and that is what is prepared. True, you pray for the day that you get cilantro in the salsa, or fresh basil in the spaghetti sauce...but we know those days will not come either. Once my brother and I made thanksgiving dinner with lots and lots of fresh herbs, in the turkey and gravy, and the mashed potatoes and stuffing. It was fucking fabulous! But it made my mother cry. The left over turkey bones didn't produce the proper flavor for her turkey and noodles. That was the end of all that. Sad.
Anyway...herbs are something we agree on...however, EVERYTHING ELSE is another matter entirely. Our conversations consist of me trying SO hard to find something intellectual to talk about, and his responses are always something critical and annoying. Cause he knows more than I do, cause so and so wrote an article or whatever. *rolling eyes* He went to live in Mexico for a while, teaching Korean kids how to speak English, yes, Korean kids. He came back even more condescending than before, something that my parents nor I thought possible.
I lost my train of thought...OH!
So, as you know, I got a new job. I'm going to be delivering pizzas for a very reputable and legitimate pizza company, locally owned and operated, voted best pizza in Seattle 20 years straight. It's pretty awesome. I'm pretty excited, especially now that my last day at the retirement community is over, I can focus on my next step. My brother is planning on owning and operating a taco truck. When I told my parents of my plans for my future they said "oh", they didn't say "OOOH!" just a simple "oh". When I interviewed and I knew I would be offered the job after they got my clear back round check, they said "oh, do they have benefits?" Yes, they do! When I got the call offering me the job, they said..."oh. good. make sure you get your doc to give you a three month supply of medicine." Even when I told them how much money I would be making and that I could pay off my medical bills, student loans, credit cards, go back to school, MOVE OUT OF THEIR HOUSE, they said while nodding their heads "good." Smile and nod. They obviously don't approve...too bad, I'm going to work my ass off and prove myself. So, the night my brother told them of his taco truck plans, at my dad's birthday dinner, their reaction was "Oh THAT'S SO COOL! When? Where? How?"
Essentially, we are going to be doing the same job...driving around, bringing people food. I will be working for a great 40 year old company that is notorious for being awesome, and I get "oh" and he will driving around at night feeding meat inside corn tortillas to drunk people and it's "OH! THAT'S SO COOL!" REALLY???
The moral of this story is, sibling rivalry never ends. But while my brother continues on his path to street food vendor, while living in a stoner pad with no windows, I will be finding a lovely apartment in a lovely neighborhood, with a balcony, washer and dryer, lots of windows for my cats to sit in, and lots of people around, to move into, and live comfortably. So there!
