Memory of Summer Past

It was the summer after I had graduated from high school and became a man. But during the interim, I was the sole guardian of my brother Reese. My parents were busy tending to the business of academia at the university while I was charged with the care of Reese who had been born with a cognitive impairment that developmentally would stunt him behaviorally at the age of six or seven.

“Congratulations Harmon.” My father hugged me after mom took pictures of us with me in my cap and gown for graduation. “Valedictorian.”

“Was there any doubt?” Mom snapped another picture as we hugged.

“You are da man.” Reese was getting over-excited by all the hubbub. All of our relatives were in the living room. Uncle Ken and Aunt Sophia with their four children, dad’s only brother. Chad and Marcy with their three boys, Marcy was mom’s sister. Grandma Theresa, recently widowed was dad’s mother and Grandpa Zeke and Grandma Olivia, mom’s parents were on our wrap-around porch with Terry, mom’s baby brother and his new bride Kendra.

For Reese who seldom saw much of our family was doing his best to be the center of attention.

“Victor, can you keep an eye on your brother?” Mom said as she watched him at the table grab some of the treats from the bakery and shove them into his mouth whole.

“Sure.” I said. It was part of my duty to be Reese’s guardian. I walked into the kitchen where he had more than a handful of frosting at the corners of his mouth. “Reese, buddy.”

“Victure.” He smiled as the frosting dribbled on his suit jacket.

“Doncha think you are overdoing it a bit.” It was my standard questions when he was beginning to get out of control. Reese had just turned thirteen. He was a student at a special school that dealt with behavioral and developmental disabilities. Most of the kids in his class were at his developmental level.

“Naaaww.” His mouth was still quite full. Crumbs were spewed as he protested my intervention.

“He’s funny.” Dabney chuckled. Dabney was Chad and Marcy’s youngest at six years old.

“Yeah, yeah.” I put my hand on Dabney’s shoulder. “Why doncha find your mom and dad.”

“Reese told me he could put three doughnuts in his mouth at one.” Dabney pointed at Reese. It hurt me to see kids point at him.

“C’mon, you’ve seen it. It’s time to go find your parents.” I guided him out of the kitchen. When I looked down at the table I noticed there were fingerprints in most of the pastries.

Somehow we all managed to get out of the house and to the football field behind the school where my family would sit in the bleachers while the graduating class would be seated in folding chairs on the field where he had won the city championship. I was not on the football team. I was nerd member of the band playing trumpet. Dad believed learning music opened up other intelligences. I sat on the stage, because I had to give the Valedictorian speech.

When it was over, I shook a lot of hands of friends’ families who all wished me well when I went the university where both my parents were professors on the faculty.

“We expect you to take your father’s place soon so he can retire.” Dean Fracella shook my hand. He was the same age as my father and the chair of the English Department. He was round in most places with thinning blonde hair and wire framed glasses as you would expect a dean from the university to look.

“Are you all packed?” Dad asked me after having a quick word with the dean.

“Yes sir.” I nodded. Ever since I can remember, I always referred to my father as “sir,” never by Christopher. Only mom got to call him by his given name.

“How about Reese?” He asked arching one of his graying eyebrows.

“I helped him pack.” I nodded.

“Good, I want to be on the road in an hour.” He coughed into his hand, “I can’t wait to get our there. Summer is here. Summer is grand.”

“Yes sir.” I winked as I continued to shake hands.

“Victor, where is your brother?” My mom interrupted.

“I don’t know.” I was a bit perturbed since I had been nowhere near him for the past hour.

“Could you help me look for him?” She asked which meant, it was up to me to track him down.

When I walked toward the school, Mr. Demitri our principal was coming toward me. He did not look happy.

“Your brother is running up and down the halls.” He yanked his thumb toward the open door. Next this I knew I was on a dead run toward the open door.

When I got there I saw him running and then falling to his knees to see how far he could slide. It was a contest between him and his cousin Dabney.

“What are you guys doing?” I put my hands on my hips.

“We wuz havin’ a contest. I wuz winnin.’” Reese shook his head.

“We are leaving shortly.” I lowered my voice.

“I winned.” Reese raised his fist in the air.

“Did not.” Dabney protested.

“Did too.” Reese put his fist down by his side.

“Did not.” Dabney pushed Reese.

I had no doubt what would happen next. Reese was bigger and when he hit Dabney with his fist, his cousin doubled over.

“I’m telling.” He grunted as the tears followed.

When I got outside, mom was waiting for us.

“What is this I hear about you punching your cousin?” Her face was red as she asked the question which was not really a question.

It was a quiet ride home. Reese started out the window the entire way.

It was a two-hour trip to the lake where would be camping in a cabin that had a row boat and a raft anchored in the water a few yards from shore. Walking in the door of the cabin with my bag, I was greeted with the strong aroma of moth balls and stagnant air with the slight tinge of mildew.

Reese was jumping on one of the mattresses, “Mine! Mine! Mine!”

“Alright.” Dan agreed as he and mom went to the master room with their bags.

“I guess I get the couch.” I put my bag on a hard cushioned sofa with a slip cover that smelled like mold.

“I did ask for a four-bed cabin.” Dad shook his head.

“I’ll be fine.” I laid out on the cement-hard sofa. “Besides I get a television.”

“No all-night binges.” Mom shook her finger at me.

“Do we even get any reception out here?” Dad shrugged.

“We shall see.” I turned on the television, but all I got was snow. “Dang.”

“Thought so.” He laughed, but I failed to see the humor in it.

“Maybe you can read.” Mom put some of the food away.

“Me help.” Reese came out of his room. Remember the last time when he dropped some of the glass jars of pickles and relish, mom shook her head.

“Not this time.” She told him as he tried to grab some of the things out of the bags on the counter. He made a face. I felt bad for him, because he wanted to help, but he just didn’t have the ability to be helpful. It wasn’t his fault.

“Come on sport.” I waved to him, “I’ve got this National Geographic magazine.”

“Cool.” He bounced over to the couch where I was sitting with the magazine opened to a page with pictures of lions which were his favorite animals.

“Can you read this?” I put my finger on the title of the article.

“Kings of the Serengeti.” He read.

“That was perfect, sport.” I acknowledged. His smile covered the bottom of his face.

After dinner that evening, mom asked, “Where is your brother?”

She never called him by his name, it was always “your brother.” Dad did pretty much the same thing.

“In his room.” I answered.

“No, he’s not.” She shook her head. So, I closed the book I was reading and walked into his room. It was empty. I sighed, because I had lost track of him.

“I will go look for him.” I said as I walked out of his empty room.

“You know he’s been doing this more and more lately.” She shook her head.

“He’s probably out in the yard.” I opened the front door.

“There are woods all around the cabin.” Dad said over the top of the newspaper he was reading.

“I will find him.” I said with a bit too much heavy tone in my voice. Heavy tone is what they called my snarly replies to questions about my brother. I closed the door with a bit too much force, but I was tired of playing the role of my brother’s keeper. Reese had no regard for authority as his teacher once summed it up at a parent-teacher conference.

“Reese!” I cupped my hands at the sides of my mouth. My voice echoed in the copse of trees behind the cabin. The front of the cabin faced the shore of the lake. Hoping that he had not wandered off in that direction, I trotted down to have a look. He was not there. “Reese!”

No answer.

I felt my stomach tighten up a bit. I decided to investigate the dock where a dozen boats were moored. Walking on the dock batter from the change of the seasons. Each step I took the worn wood would creak and moan. I could see the water in between the moldy boards. When I got to the end of the dock, I saw Rees curled up in the boat.

“Sport, what’s up?” I hopped into the boat and it rocked a bit under my weight.

“I am tired of everybody thinking I can’t do nothing.” He sniffed as he had been crying.

“You can do lots of things.” I said brightly out of habit.

“I know lotsa things.” He sat up wiping the tears from his eyes.

“I know.” I nodded.

“Why do everyone talk to me like I’m stupid.” He tilted his head back like he did when he was frustrated by what others were saying about him.

“Hey, do you wanna go fishing with me tomorrow?” I asked.

“Can I put the worm on the hook?” He asked.

“Of course. You have to wear your lifejacket.”

“I don’t wanna.” He shook his head furiously.

“I am so you gotta too.”

“Alrawght.” He moaned.

The next morning after breakfast, I told Reese to get ready to go fishing.

“You boys are going fishing off the dock?” Dad asked putting down his morning newspaper.

“Naw, I thought we’d go out in one of the boats.” I shrugged.

“Do you think that’s a good idea with your brother?” He asked as he peered over the top of his glasses.

“I think it will be fine.” I nodded.

“Geese I don’t know. You are responsible for him.” Dad pointed his finger at me.

“Dad, I am always responsible for him.” Again my tone was a bit too heavy, but I didn’t care. I stood up and grabbed the fishing poles I had put by the door next to the box of lures and the bait. “C’mon sport, time to go fishing.”

“He’s outside waiting on you.” Mom appeared from their room down the hall.

“See ya in a bit.” I opened the door and walked out of the cabin. I saw Reese standing on the dock wearing his orange life jacket. He waved to me as I stepped out of the door. “Are ya ready, sport?”

“You bet.” He smiled.

“How about a selfie?” I asked.

“Sure.” He smiled. I got out my phone and took a picture of both of us standing on the dock. “Can I hold my pole?”

“I don’t see why not.” I handed him one of the poles which he immediately dropped into the water.

“I’s sorry.” He went to reach for the pole, but I stopped him with my free arm.

“I’ll get it.” I snapped a bit too heavy.

“Aw-right.” He snapped back as I snatched it as it floated on the water.

“I don’t want to fall in the water.” I told him as I shook out the pole.

“I wasn’ gonna.” He moaned.

“C’mon, let’s get in.” I reached to help him in, but he slapped my hand away.

“I can do it.” He huffed. I let him and he got into the boat without any difficulty. I put one leg in the boat as the other stayed on the dock. Slowly the boat drifted away from the dock and suddenly I was off-balance.

“Are you okay, Harmon?” He asked as he watched me struggle to regain my balance.

“I’m fine.” I sat on the bench inside the boar once I had found my balance. I looked at him right in his gray eyes, “Ya know Reese sometimes we all need a helping hand.”

“We do?”

“Yes. It’s okay to ask for help.” I pulled the starter rope of the motor as the boat drifted away from the dock. The exhaust sent up a cloud of smoke, but once the water started churning, I turned the handle toward the open water.

“Can I steer?” He asked as we headed away from the dock.

“Maybe.” I felt the breeze run through my hair. I had heard the north shore was a good spot for trout, so I turned the bar and headed that way. Reese leaned over the side and let his fingers drag through the water. It was one of his favorite things to do and since he had done every time he got into a boat, I did not see any reason to play parent and tell him to be careful. I could hear him laugh as we hit some waves that bounced the boat a bit.

I turned off the engine when we neared the north shore.

“C’mon sport, time to put a worm on that hook.” I smiled.

“Aye, aye, sir.” He giggled as he put a worm on his hook. Once he had the worm attached, he dropped the hook over the side.

“Good job.” I nodded as I put a worm on my hook and dropped it over the other side of the boat.

“What now?” He asked.

“My favorite part.” I leaned back, “We relax and wait for a fish to take the worm.”

“Take the worm?” He scowled.

“Sure. But the fish will also get the hook.” I raised an eyebrow.

“Seems kinda dull.” He yawned.

“Best part.” I pulled down my cap over my eyes. The sun was now above us sending down golden splinters across the water.

“I got one!” Reese’s eyes were wide with excitement. He stood up making the boat rock. Before I could reach over to grab him, he lost his balance and fell into the murky water.

“Reese!” I watched him struggle against the water, but his lifejacket was keeping him above it. I leaned over the boat to grab him. Instead I grabbed his life jacket. In my haste to get to the north shore of the lake, I did not check to make sure his jacket was clasped correctly. When I pulled the jacket, Reese slipped out of it. Holding his dripping jacket, I watched in horror as he went under the water.

He resurfaced coughing up water. Without hesitation, I entered the cold murky water where he was panicking and flailing his arms. The water was about a foot over my head, but the bottom was filled with decaying leaves and other debris that had the consistency of quicksand. When I left the boar, I removed my life jacket and sank into the mud. In my sudden panic, I sucked in a mouthful of water.

I managed to get to the surface where I began to cough up the water, but I could not see Reese. I forced myself to submerge. Opening my eyes I tried to see where he was, but the murky water prevented me from clear vision. Moving my arms around me, I felt his arm and I grabbed it. I forced myself to the surface holding his arm as tightly as I could, but his head was still below the surface. Finding strength I didn’t even know I had, I pulled his limp body into the boat as I clung to the side. Once he was in the boat he began to cough up all the water he had swallowed in his panic.

“Harmmmoonn.” He moaned as he sat up. “I feel sick.

“It’s okay. You are okay.” I told him as I managed to get back into the boar.

“We lost da fishin’ poles.” He was in distress.

“Hell with the pole, are you alright?”

“Just my tummy feels bad.” He complained.

“It’s because you swallowed that yucky water.”

“I wanna go back.” He sniffed.

“Do you want to steer?”

“No.” He shook his head.

“Alright. We will go back.”

Dad did not know what to say when we walked soaking wet back to the cabin. Mom just stood there with her jaw hanging open.

“We went fishing.” I told them as we sloshed by.

That was the summer I saved my brother’s life, something I never let him forget. We are both older now, but we still have family reunions in the summers since. Each summer when I rescued my brother from drowning keeps on getting more and more dramatic with each telling of our days by the shore.