Happy Birthday Feb 8 Robert

 

My earliest childhood memories are when I was about 5 years old and we lived in Mesquite,TX on Longview Street.   When we moved there in 1963 my brother Robert was an infant since I’m 5 years older than him.  Ok, that’s your clues to figure out how old my baby brother is.  LOL  I don’t remember much at all about Robert as an infant.  Across the street from us was my friend Joni’s house and she had a brother the same age as Robert.  Curtis and Robert were the best of friends as were Joni and I.  It was like a package deal.  When Joni came to my house to play, she brought Curtis to play with Robert and vice versa.  Most of my memories from about age 6-12 involve Robert, Curtis and Joni.  The four of us were always together.

I remember Robert was really liked to play in the dirt on the side of our house and spent hours making roads and driving his little trucks.  When he was old enough to play football (in Texas you started at about 5 I think) I remember going to all his games.  And in Stillwater when he played baseball I was usually there.  Really,it wasn’t until we moved to Stillwater and specifically after my parents and Connie moved to Kingfisher and left Robert to live we me while he finished high school ( I was 18 at the time—not much of a guardian) that I really got to know my brother.  We became pretty close during that time we lived together in Stiilwater in a trailer house on Perkins Road.  Later when I married and moved away with Earl,and Robert was left on his own  I realized how much I had grown to depend on Robert instead of the other way around and how much I had come to treasure him not just as a brother but as a friend.  It didn’t surprise me at all that he became an Accountant because he was always very good at managing money and I think living on his own at such an early age was a big part of that. 

It was Robert who came to my rescue a few years later when I needed “out” in a hurry and he loaned me the money to get an apartment and spent the day loading my belongings and settling me in to an apartment. And Robert who consoled me 11 years ago when Mike left me because he had been through a similar situation himself.  Mostly he just listened as I poured out my heartache and called to check on me frequently for the months that followed to make sure that I was ok and that his nephews were handling things ok.  Always, he would say, if you need anything, money, advice or just to talk I’m here. That meant a lot to me.

My mom would always call me when she knew Robert was coming to Kingfisher for Sunday lunch because she knew if Robert was going to be there I would make an extra effort to be there too to see him.  Christmas time he could be counted on to bring the “beer” and keep it hidden away in his car so that my “mom” wouldn’t know.  LOL  When she was dying, we were talking one day and she mentioned that she was never fooled by the red plastic cups and the trips “outside” to see Robert’s newest car or get some fresh air.  She thought it was pretty funny that me and my adult siblings thought we were fooling her. 

When my mom talked about Robert, her face would just light up.  She was so proud of him and the man he had become.  She was so thankful when he met Misty and she loved her from the first time she met her because she knew that she was right for and that she loved Robert.  Funny how parents have a sixth sense about that kind of thing. 

Robert is one of those behind the scene people.  The ones that don’t like to be in the limelight.  This blog is probably very embarrassing for him though I have done my best to leave out the stories about him growing up……to mention the time he got a personal visit from the Mesquite fire squad would be “playing with fire”  pun intended.   Things might “poison mushroom” out of control if I got started.(private family joke)

Robert is one of those people that looks the same now as he did many years ago. He simply doesn’t age.  My friends drooled over the picture I showed them of him taken last summer.  Super handsome, super nice would be one way to describe my brother Robert.  Along with generous, level headed and kind hearted. 

And ever though I see him rarely, at holidays and special occasions, I know without a doubt if I called him and asked for any favor  he would bend over backwards to help me.  And I would do the same for him.   And as for his middle name...well, my mom was on some sort of weird French kick when she named him.  That’s’ all I’ll say.   

That and Happy Birthday little brother!  You deserve a great day!  I love you!   LeeAnn

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