May 3, 2013: Marky, Mark...

Visiting my Texan brother, Mark

Thursday was the Chatham surprise, Friday was even better. We got to see my brother, Mark. Life with my brothers never stops; there are just little pauses in time. Even if we haven't seen each other in months, sometimes over a year; we just pick up where we left off. We naturally laugh and share life together as those the separations are timeless. Siblings.

Yesterday was a big travel day. A two hour morning drive to the Providence airport. A flight to Baltimore. A stop in Little Rock. And then landing at the Dallas Love Airport at 6:30 p.m. After picking up our rental car and noting the difference from the quaintness of Cape Cod to the bigness of Texas, we began the last leg of our adventure.

Mark has recently moved to Dallas from LasVegas. And he is thrilled. He doesn't need to say a word, you can read it on his face. Over dinner we talked about how his life has changed and how the next year will look for his family. He has been on his own adventure, exploring this immense state for a home with some acres. The farm boy who has been landlocked in Vegas will finally be getting some space and land to call his own. He is happy.

As we reunited over a Mexican feast at Pappasito's restaurant, it took no time for the stories to start rolling. We laughed,and laughed, and laughed some more. I tried to give Garrett a hard time, but Mark naturally took his side. Just like old times. We were just missing our third wheel, brother Matt.

Our weekend will be full of Dallas and hanging out. No need for paid entertainment. This is an unnecessary accommodations for siblings. Mark wants to show us land he is interested in purchasing. He has a big truck with Texas plates that will take us there. We will fit in well as passengers.

This morning as Garrett and I rode the elevator to our complimentary breakfast bar, Earth, Wind and Fire sang "September" overhead. Saturday mornings of my childhood flooded my memory as I exclaimed, "American Bandstand is on at 11:00!" Yep, much has changed since our Saturday mornings in the 70's glued to the dancing phenoms on AB over the lunch hour.

Would Mark and I have ever of dreamed that 35 years later, our Saturday morning together would be in Texas? That we would have grown children and second marriages and would live in two different states? No, we didn't think about things like that. We lived in the moment and great moments they were. Time to enjoy our brief time in Texas. I look forward to riding around in the big truck.