Who has always been more than a brother!

Funny thing is this brother I am actually related to him as a cousin, but since this is a native family the first cousins are always known as our brothers or sisters. In my case I have two step-siblings, but none of them really made me feel like they were there for me, but then again I have gotten used to everything I hear about myself. So growing up I have noticed that the person that has been more of a brother to me than anyone else because I was his other half. Ernie was that brother that saved me from falling, who used to keep me warm, and also got me into some trouble now and then, but it was not fair that my dad kept us apart. When I did see him or he stayed with us it was like I felt free and comforted by his presence and I don’t have that anymore, sort of. I say this because someone that is considered my grandfather from clan, but he seems more like my little brother that I am very proud of. Yes, if you did not know Shmelvin.

Ernie got me into Marlboro Reds, the one cigarette most people would not smoke. With him and my brother Anson we did things most kids would never do but we did and that was jumping across the arroyo without falling down to the bottom. He was the one that got me into Bone Thugs & Harmony as well as Cypress Hill and Naughty By Nature. I always took care of him too. There was this one time that he would be staying us for a week and when it came to lunch I would always make sure that my brother eats before me. To believe we even went Trick or Treating together, when I was Leonardo of the Ninja Turtles, lol, yes I was a tomboy and nerd so it made sense. I don’t think Ernie knew about what happened to me, but now that he is gone I think he can see that.

Now there was a time that we all went to Hawaii and my brother would give me wet willies when I would fall asleep on the bus. We also discovered one of our best songs and when ever I hear it I think of my brother. Miss you always brother, but the song was “Blackhole Sun” by Sound Garden. This is the same time I started really cussing, but aside from that, the last time I saw my brother was when he came down and we had a ceremony for his sister and him. At least I was able to hug and see him, because after several months my brother would fall asleep in his dad’s car before he would start working again. Unfortunately my uncle Gene tried to wake him up, but no dice. My brother died in his sleep at the age of 35, still young I mean we were about the same age, but without him I have no other worthy siblings, just an ONLY child!