I was born into a family of 6 brothers, I had 6 sisters too but this isn’t about them. Out of the 6 brothers I have great respect an appreciation for 5. The 5 out of 6 were awesome. We’ve fought, physically and verbally as mad as it used to make me, I’m better for it. Once I learned how to fight, and was looking forward to fighting them, the fights stopped, go figure. I made the most money off my brothers. They were sneaky and my parents had non-negotiable rules and my dad had female ears. As my mom would say, my dad could hear a mouse pee on cotton yet there were things that would get passed him, but not past me, and to keep me quiet they had to pay me money especially once they could no longer beat me up. One brother in particular would pay me what he owed me, borrow some money back go get drunk get paid, pay me back get drunk forget he’d already paid me, so he would pay me again. The first couple of times I would tell him as only a little sister could, you already paid me, dummy. Then I’d give him his money back but by the next week it was the same thing. I remember saying something about it to my mom and she didn’t like the idea of him drinking anyways so she said something like if he too drunk to remember he paid you and pay you again that’s less money for him to waste drinking, keep it. She didn’t  have to tell me twice and I never reminded him again, LOL. I wasn’t the only one my brothers gave a hard time to but no one else could touch us. I remember when my sister was assaulted by this guy. She came home looking disheveled and upset. They immediately asked what happened to you. She told them. A guy had attacked her I believe he tried to rape her but she was able to fight him off ran home but not before seeing him hop in a cab. Well these JR. Detectives tracked down the cab company and driver, who told them where they dropped the guy off at and off they along with my sister went out the door. I was too “YOUNG” to go, they said but my sister told me they told her to kick his a$$ and he better not hit her back. She was like they was right there and he couldn’t hit me back, I whooped his A$$ too. Reminiscing brings smiles and laughter. Our life isn’t for the weak, only the strong survive and we’ve survived more than most. These 5 brothers were no joke and they were the best a little sister could ever ask for. Their not perfect, but I know they love me, I feel their love in everything they do. They don’t fabricate and or maliciously attack me if I’m wrong they tell ME to my face I’m wrong and they tell me WHY, I’m wrong. They don’t talk about me behind my back or stab me in my back. For that alone I have great love and respect for them, and many more reasons. I guess it’s those reasons why I remember back when one of my brothers died back in 2008. His death was eventually ruled a Heart attack. It took them about 2 weeks to come to that conclusion, which was too long for me. My brother lived in a separate State by himself except for his deceased wife family and the friends he had made in the years he had lived there. I had told myself that if someone had done anything to my brother, my gun and I was going to make a guest appearance in Ohio. It worked out that no one hadn’t done anything to my brother and at 51 his heart just stopped. That was the hardest thing for me to accept. I kept asking myself how does someone’s heart get tired at 51 years of age. I thought that was just too young. Our dad was in his 80’s our mom was almost 80, so accepting his death took some time. I still think about him today. I treasure the memories I share with 5 out of 6 of my brothers, the good the bad and the not so pretty. An oddly my favorite movie is The Brothers starring Morris Chestnut, Bill Bellamy, Kevin Hart and D.L. Hughley and one of my favorite songs is Brothers my Angie Stone. One of my brothers I swore I would hate for life. He had joined the army, gotten married, moved away and rarely looked back. That hurt me. At 25, I sat down and wrote him a letter expressing ALL my feelings. I guess I was wearing my big girl bras and draws that day. I didn’t know how he was going to receive it or if he’d contact me. Then one day he called and we talked for hours. He acknowledged the letter, apologized and we put the past behind us and there it has remained. My brother and I are closer than we ever have been. He calls me and I call him. Rarely are the conversations ever short. He’s a funny character and I love him. These brothers that I have mentioned and the 2-3 others are well deserving of The National Brothers Week. They do what brothers are supposed to do and more. To my 5 out of 6 brothers, Thanks and Much love to you, from your “baby” sister, 🙂