Brother Mine

by Dawne Zacharias He came to me in tears A plane of thin weightless wood Fit together by a center groove A propeller with a rubber band to wind “Where is it?” I asked He pointed, “over there” was his whine. "Show me, my brother," was my love this time, Then I saw it, bobbing and floating in the middle of the muddiest, smelliest, most opaque pond that stretched for a hundred yards or more “Please get it” he choked, with tears running down his face, I knew I couldn’t reach it with a branch and what I would do for my little brother.... what in the world was I thinking, no way am I going in there I rolled my eyes, as he grabbed my arm, “please” he cried. As I entered, the mud began to rise above my ankles, then my washing days had just begun, sneakers, socks, pants... my knees, waist, then shoulders, cold enveloped me my walk was pointed in one direction his bobbing plane now just a few feet away, one last step and I’d have it! I could hear my brothers shouts of delight as I held his plane over my head, he danced on the edge of the pond, an Indian dance I could feel his absolute joy in this 25 cent plane, I smiled and shouted, “ I got it.”