My Brother. My Teacher.

He was four years old and I was twice his age. For a kid, that is an infinitely large gap. Instead of playing with other 4 year olds or even his 6 year old brother, he sought me out. It seemed he always was sticking to me like one of those fuzzy balls you get on your fleece jacket; exhibiting a simple but impressive persistence. With every question he fished for more and more answers out of my too-small brain. "Where do clouds come from?" "Why do dogs bite?" "What makes radios sing?"

"I don't know!" Why would he think I would or could know such things? Why continue to ask me when I always failed at giving the answers? What did he want from me? Why me? Please, find another teacher.

We all sat in the back seat. Four small children, lined up like socks in a drawer. Of course, he sat by me. But at least I got the window. It started to rain but it was too stuffy to keep the windows completely up. I cracked mine, staring outside, wanting to get home and out of that oppressive car. The rain formed an arc across the window, drops flying off at 50 miles an hour. He scooted onto my lap, pointing at the rain's path on the window. "Look", he said. My eyes averted, knowing that some impossible question was coming. Inwardly groaning, waiting for the inevitable.

He smiled a warm and joyous smile, just for me. "Look! A rainbow!" My eyes and mind opened and I finally could see as he did. Inside that grimy arc of water, I saw a rainbow too.