King Medicine
There really aren’t many things that make me want to cry, and in spite of the angsty nature of the last few posts, I am really doing well, and am quite happy. But then joe has to go and post this story. Go read it now, and then come back.
Did you read it yet? You didn’t did you? Here it is again, read it!
It may not make much sense to you without knowing the story, but even then it is still beautiful and well-written. If you know the story it will choke you up a bit, but if you were actually there your eyes might well up while you are sitting at your computer at work waiting for the next usability test subject to arrive.
It might make you think back to the days when your twin brother’s heart was giving out on him and you would stop by his house late at night and he would be sitting on the couch in the dark because he couldn’t sleep. King Medicine, by Jets to Brazil would be playing and even though Joe is much better now*, that song still haunts you. It would probably haunt you even if the words had no meaning at all.
When you saw Jets to Brazil play live a couple of years after Joe’s surgery you might find yourself feeling a bit self-conscious about the tear in your eye when everyone else was just dancing. Don’t flatter yourself Jets To Brazil, it wasn’t the beauty of the music.
But you smile when you think of the cake that Adrienne made for Joe before the surgery. It had a heart drawn on the top in red glaze and said, âSo long aorta!â
And you really smile when you think of the fact that Joe’s new aorta just had its third birthday.
*(Joe still has to deal with so much more than his share of health related crap, but his heart is going strong)
Nice Josh. I don’t know your brother all that well, but I remember how you were feeling at the time. I remember trying to make heavy moment lighter at the dinner table in the Blumer home by pounding “La Cucaracha” as a heartbeat, which was understandably met with a harsh rebuke. (A moment that still makes me cringe–still sorry for that). Regardless, I admire the way your family held together at that time and how you relied on…well…the spirit and the knowledge that you have of the “Plan”. That post, although I don’t completely know the whole story, says a lot about the character and testimony of the Penrod clan.
Having said that–we Smith’s will still bury you.
Oh! I almost forgot.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AORTA!
I remember talking to Joe one day, and he said “I came by your house last night.” I said, “Um, I don’t think so. . I was home all night and you didn’t stop by.” “Well, it was about 3 am and I didn’t want to wake you. I just sat on the curb. Did you know that the tree in your front yard looks really cool under the street light?”
Not that I would ever get emotional about such things. . By the way, how much, er, moisture does it take to short out a keyboard?
Happy Birthday, Aorta!
Speaking of aortae, isn’t Reese’s supposed to turn two pretty soon? I like Joe and Josh. Adrienne is better than they are (maybe not together), but they are still the nicest, least identical-looking identical twins I have met.
Speaking of aortae, shouldn’t Reese’s be turning two years old here soon (if not already). You Penrod twins are great. What can you tell me about The Fire Theft?
Reese turned two on the 24th. He celebrated being a two year old by rebelling. I told him to stand in the corner because he was bad and he stomped his foot and waved his arms and said, “No! I no stand in corner! Daddy stand in corner!”
All I know about the Fire Theft is that Jeremy Enigk of Sunny Day Real Estate is the lead signer.
Is there a reason why I can’t download the song? After all the comments I NEED to hear it!
Hah, Sorry about that. I messed up the URL.
I can’t promise you will love the song though. It just took on much greater meaning due to the circumstances.