Birthday Ball Caps

There was a time when my brother’s birthday would roll around each year that I’d get him a new hat, a new ball cap. It was for several years, just long enough that this became my “thing”. Getting him a new ball cap became my thing. It began because one year his hat was so busted that the brim of it was shattered & peeling away. That particular year I gave him another of the exact same ball cap. Well, sort of; they were both University of Notre Dame ball caps. One year I gave him socks. Oh wait, that was a Christmas gift. It was intended to be a joke as I sometimes bummed a pair of socks from his drawer, so I got him a few pairs that I also might borrow, though I don’t think I ever actually did borrow the ones which I’d gifted him.

Time worn on & I’d get him things related to woodworking (a project book, perhaps) or some sort of cookbook as he does well with food prep & making meals. There’s a book by Julia Child which he enjoyed so much that he especially thanked me for it. He also remarked, to the family in general, about some information, or techniques, she’d included in her work. It was something about the proper way to manage a particular food dish. When I asked him what it was, he responded simply, “time”. That Julia had written about the importance of spending time, & letting the food take its time to cook, in order to cook properly, & get the best result for the particular dish she was presenting. The flavor would be at its best as all would be brought together in the best possible way, as it was meant to be.

Nowadays a simple text message indicating that I remembered it’s his special day (though all my family members know I’m the one who’s least likely to not remember a birthday), that I’m thinking of him, & that I hope it’s a great day spending time with those family & friends which are near as well as good times.