Friday, November 11, 2011

the garbage buddy


i rinse a dish and place it on the towel laying by the sink. he rushes by with cap on head and a smile on his lips.

"wanna take the garbage with me?"

he grabs the plump plastic bag hidden inside the cabinet and ties it in a knot. heading outside with a spring in his step, i follow. drinking deeply of the fresh air, i slip on my well-worn boots as he chunks the bag into the overflowing plastic trash can on wheels. keys in hand, he heads to the truck with a whistle happily escaping his lips.

the hefty dodge roars to life with the turn of his key. i hastily open the tailgate and leap onto it. he pushes and i pull as we heave together the can up into the truck bed.

i contentedly crawl up on his tool box. he rolls down the window and cranks up the music.

the roaring truck rolls and my heart joyously skips a beat. he drives to the gate and it creaks as I open it. he pulls through and we ride. the music reaches my ears as the wind meets my face. hair blowing, mouth smiling. i duck and dodge tree limbs. we wave to the neighbors.

he sings along and dances as best he can while driving. i laugh.

the sun is sinking and the sky is blue. the trees are tall and the long shaded driveway is sandy.

the words from the stereo reach my ears.

life is a highway, i wanna ride it all night long.
if you're going my way, i wanna drive it all night long.




we reach the tornado ravaged spot. the trees are gone and so is a piece of my heart. i look down into the open window at the boy, my brother. green eyed, dirty blonde, twenty-one and he's not a kid anymore. he asked and she said “yes” and there's a pretty little ring.

it hits me. taking my breath away just as the treeless spot after the tornado. it's an empty place where trees once stood tall and my heart is empty too. he'll be going and our life as brother-sister in the same house won't be a highway anymore. he'll be starting a family and i'll be watching from a distance.

she'll take the spot riding with him on his highway. they'll be taking their own garbage can to the road.{and who will take ours?}

he yells up out the window at me, teasing and cutting up and he jolts me from my thoughts. he switches on his truck flashers because that's what he does to playfully tease.

in a haze, i help unload the smelly can as the music plays. the song ends. the sun goes down. and life makes it's turn before my eyes.

i love her and i love him... and i sure will miss taking that garbage can.

{the morning he was headed to ask his girl to marry him}


{giveaways! modern mayflower (tell them i sent ya on this one!) the crowley party, cubette's corner, cait. create. and love stitched}

18 comments:

Marli said...

i guess we'll have to be garbage buddies when he leaves...:) let's not think about that right now...:(

Unknown said...

*sniff* you should have a 'cry' reaction, cuz that's what i'm doin'!!

that's it! my brothers are not allowed to get married!! D'X

Melissa said...

so sweet! I loved this post and your writing. i love hearing how much you love your brother. it's so wonderful that you get along with him the way you do :)

Unknown said...

this is adorable :) (as always)

love,
elisabeth
ps. i'm hosting my first giveaway and i'd love for your to enter
http://lavitaebella-elisabeth.blogspot.com/2011/11/my-first-giveaway-40-of-free-digital.html

Caitlin@cait. create. said...

Cute post!

siddathornton said...

i feel like i was there - i love the description. funny how those thoughts just hit you out of nowhere, isn't it? and bittersweet how the moments you'll miss with him are some of the tiniest ones.

kait said...

aw this is so sweet that you guys are so close, it melts my heart.

I miss being able to see my sister everyday too. She is the one who went to Alabama, which is why I am an Alabama fan. I actually live in NW Florida though :)

Annie said...

aren't brothers the best? my brother and i are living together this year, in his first and my last year of college, after my being out of the house for two years. and it's weird to think that after this year, we aren't going to live with each other ever again, because i'll likely be moving and he might be transferring colleges. it's sad to think about!

Mrs. Pancakes said...

awww..that's adorable..it's always hard when siblings move away from each other. love the final picture!

bonnie said...

so sweet! the relationship will change, but you'll always be close!

my love and his sister are the closest siblings i know, and even though for a while they lived a couple states away from each other, it was like nothing had changed when they visited. :)

Elle Sees said...

aw, that is too sweet.

Laurel Sewell said...

You have such a sweet relationship with Dallas and Marli. I loved your comparison of the "treeless spot" to your soon-to-be empty heart. But in time, you will notice fresh new growth in that bare spot - in the form of a new relationship with a sister-in-law! Love you!
Aunt Laurel

urban muser said...

it sounds like you have a lovely relationship with your brother. you turned garbage into a nice post.

Emma Frances said...

WOW. This is so sweet! And it's so exciting that your brother is getting married! My sister was sad when I got married but she adores my husband so all is well! :] It definitely is a change though! And again, I LOVE your writing! I can picture this whole scene so wonderfully!

Melissa said...

hey! i saw you over on purposely at home. great post girl you're looking stellar :) thanks, as always, for your sweet comments :)

Brooke @ Silver Lining said...

It's always sad when siblings grow up and get married and move away :( He'll be back often to visit though. Just save all the garbage for him. Totally practical, right? ;)

Unknown said...

Very sweet!

Elisha said...

is that your brotherrr!?! (: