School Days

Growing up with two brothers was always a fun time. When you throw in a single mom trying to raise and keep control of us three, it made things that much more chaotic. She did a great job. She knew how to keep three rowdy lads on their respective leashes. In her mind, she knew each of our personalities as fluently as she knew the English language.

My older brother's personality was that of a brainy child. He took to school work easily. My little brother, however, did not. He tended to let his mind wander in class, and had a terrible time keeping it in check. Every time he got a bad grade, he would exclaim, "It is because of my A.D.D."(attention deficit disorder). My reply was always, "Whatever that even is!"

I guess my tough love mentality came from my father. My personality fell between my two brothers. Though I also had an artistic streak. I did well on my report cards, and took a liking to art in school.

When my mother and father divorced, my mom, two brothers, and I moved back to Evansville. We had lived away from Evansville for around four years, and moved back in 1991. Since we started Caze Elementary School halfway through a school year, and since my older brother was very intelligent, he was bumped up to the next grade. I don't know how all that worked, but I do know that it sort of distanced him from me, as compared to my younger brother. Grade level wise, I was now closer to my little brother than my older. He was in fifth grade already, and i was only in second. This I presume to be the start of my feeling of being closer to my younger brother than my older brother.

I loved second grade, and would always see my little brother Derek on the playground and after school during daycare. We always played together, and knew the same people. He often imitated me. Back then, I found it very annoying. He did not mind getting my hand me down clothes, but I had trouble letting them go. He would even get the same haircut as me. After a while, I just accepted his imitations and did not let it bother me.

My mother had a friend that would cut our hair for very cheap. We always made a night of it. We would go visit her and get our hair cuts. One of these nights came during the winter of my second grade year. My older brother got a totally different haircut than my little brother and I, like usual. However, on this night, my little brother and I got the best haircuts of our lives! It was a simple buzz cut, but with a little something extra. Our mom's friend shaved a Bat-Symbol into the back of our heads! A Bat-Symbol as in the one on Batman's chest.

After many hours of excitement and the inability to calm down, we rested for the next school day. On our way to school, Derek and I ran as fast as we could. We had to get to school and show off our new haircuts. We each wanted to be the first to step through the doors. From the point we entered school until the point our hair grew back, it seemed as if everyone were talking a out the McGrew brothers. I was starting to be called "Derek's older brother", and he was starting to be called "Dustin's younger brother". After that experience, I knew that he was gonna be my brother forever. Even to this day, I will hear a someone I don't even know call my name, "Derek's older brother". He still gets the same.