The Bond Between Brothers

Love and Courage

My two younger brothers, Tim and Chip, were competitive in nearly all things, from board games to playing tag, or just shooting hoops on our back yard patio. But always, they were best friends first.

They often argued and you’d swear it would come to blows, but it never did. It went without saying, it was okay for them to argue and pick on each other, but if anyone were to go after one, or the other, the interloper became the evil villain and he’d better run like hell.

Something they both enjoyed was hanging out with friends at a small pond on top of a huge hill in town. Everyone just called it ‘The Big Hill’, as in, “Hey, let’s meet at the pond on The Big Hill.”

The season didn’t matter. They climbed The Big Hill for pond time with friends year round. They loved trading deepest secrets, skipping stones, or just taking turns sharing the worst swear word they could think of, but weren’t allowed to say at home.

There was one winter day the group headed to The Big Hill for pond time to slide on the ice and bounce stones to see who could make them go the highest.

Racing with Tim, Chip got there first and he ran out onto the frozen pond to do the first slide. Just as he got to the center, the ice broke and he went into the freezing water.

Tim dropped down and belly slid to the hole in the ice, grabbed Chip’s arms and pulled him out. The two belly-crawled back to the side of the pond. Chip was shivering uncontrollably by then. His teeth were chattering and his lips were turning blue. Tim knew he had to get him home, fast.

He picked Chip up and began the long walk down The Big Hill. Chip’s clothes were already freezing. Tim carried him all the way home, with the rest of the group, trailing along behind, silent and worried. Tim got him home and when it was all over, Chip was fine.

Over the years, that day has become a memory, but Chip can still hold a crowd in the palm of his hand when he tells how Tim once saved his life when they were boys.