Holy Panko Brother

Circumstance and sense of responsibility.  Each week my sister and I leave the comfort and routine of our own homes and meet up at my Dad’s.  We both live just a tad too far away for a daily commute to our jobs so it makes practical sense for us to stay at his house for part of the week.  It also means that there are two of us to look after his care and general well-being.  We can be confident he’s eating properly, taking his medication and, probably most importantly, isn’t lonely or bored all by himself. It’s an arrangement that seems to work for all concerned.

Sure, it has its benefits – I’ll be the first to agree.  Sharing of meal planning for half the week being the first that comes to mind.  We’ve come to a comfortable routine of sharing cooking duties, seeing to our father’s welfare and then just relaxing with each other with no expectations except that we like the same television shows so there will be no arguing over what to watch once our father goes to bed.  It also helps that my sister falls asleep within about seven seconds of sitting in front of the television so I have absolute control over the remote.

I had the worst time waking my sister up to go to bed last night. First of all she missed the grossest Boston Legal ever with the whole Scott Little and his mother angle. Just ick is all I’m saying. She’ll have to catch in reruns.

Then it took me a good five minutes to wake her up.  Show was over. I patted gently, I shook her little feet carefully.  I told her she had a rooster on her head.  Nothing worked.   Finally I said “Telephone!   Telephone!  Time to get into your bed.” To which she replied “I don’t like my bed. I only like MY bed.  Holy panko brother.”  "What?" I asked.  She repeated it "Holy panko brother." Now I’ll never get to sleep myself because I can’t stop laughing.  Of course when I started laughing she told me I was being mean and swanned off in a bleary eyed huff.  Whatever works.

I love this gentle caring of others.  This wholly reciprocal taking of turns nurturing.  We may not seem to need it but nonetheless – who is going to argue with someone lovingly persuading us to climb into our safe, warm bed.  This easy turning over of responsibility, knowing that someone will look after you and make sure you are where you need to be.

Holy panko brother indeed.