Another Day That's Easy To Remember

It must have been fate that my brother, Matt, met his wife, Kathy. Just the notion that my older brother--who adored Gershwin tunes at a very young age--would catch the eye of an attractive girl during his junior high years, was unfathomable to this writer. Not that I find it odd today, but I must admit that the twelve-year-old me was in somewhat a bit of shock and envy on the day that I met this girl he had been talking about for months beforehand. "She must be a real troll," I would say to Jeff under my breath whenever Matt went on about this girl, Kathy, at the dinner table. "Or in a coma," Jeff would add with a laugh. We fought the good fight that all siblings endure during those pubescent years.

But all kidding around came to an end one evening when Mom and Dad took us all to Haywards BBQ for dinner. It was there that a cute hostess walked past our table, which caused Matt's ears to perk up. It was for a reason, but we thought nothing of it at the time, as Matt was an actor and always finding reasons for his ears to perk.

"I think...that was...Kathy," Matt said in his most serious of tones.

The next time she came back by the table, Matt flagged her down and she was surprised and happy to see him. Introductions were made and I distinctly remember her saying "hello, Brother," to, both, Jeff and me when we were introduced as such. It was after this night that the ribbing came to an abrupt stop. To make a long story short, Matt and Kathy began an on-again/off-again relationship throughout their junior high, high school and, yes, college years. During this long period of time, it seemed like a teen TV drama that had long run its course ("get together already!" the audience would say), but everybody in both of their lives knew they were meant to be together and would end up that way.

Matt and Kathy married on 23 October, 1993. This, along with my own, is the only anniversary I can ever seem to remember for some reason. The two went off to seminary, had three beautiful children and ended up in Mt. Vernon, Missouri. I can't imagine my family without her and have always thought of her as my own sister. I know that's a typical thing to say, but it couldn't be truer in my case, as Kathy has been around for about as long as I can remember. And I know that the same goes for Jeff, as she presided over his and Gaby's wedding this past summer (I can't remember the date). She has been very supportive of me, and my family, over the past twenty-something years. I guess it's because she's one of us.

And the drawing up there? I was going through sketchbooks, trying to find an image that would remotely go with this text. I wasn't looking for much, just something that reminded me of Kathy. As I flipped through the pages, this drawing caught my eye and I went back to take a look. For some reason, it made me think of her. Maybe it's the whole angel thing. Who knows?

Today is Kathy's birthday. She's 25 years young. Which would've made her about four when I met her.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.