My bro Drew is known as "My Favorite Brother" among my Sarah Lawrence friends. The title was not created by me, but by my friend Wingo. He gained this title when Wingo learned that most of my musical tastes and burned cds come from his collection. She began referring to him as "My Favorite Brother" about two and a half years ago, and now it is just easier for everyone I know to just keep that title, it practically rolls off my tongue.
But this title was not unprovoked. Drew guaranteed the "My Favorite Brother" title when, two winters ago, he made two mix tapes with abridged cds for me, and two different mix cds for Wingo. In addition, he promised to visit me at school during my senior year.
Well, once again, "My Favorite Brother" proved that he deserves the title, at least among my SLC friends. Last week Drew emailed me with a full detailed itinerary for his visit in February, which included the Bears playing in the Super Bowl (I forwarded it to Wingo). The email asked me for my address. I didn't know what he needed it for, it's not my birthday, he has no reason to send me anything.
So on Wednesday I received an email from the post office informing me that a package has arrived and it is in "tote," meaning that it is a smallish package (large ones are kept in "bin"). My mind went through the possible senders of the smallish package... there weren't any holidays for Aunt Jeannie to send holiday-themed socks, I thought maybe Mom sent a "just because" package, or a photo cd from the Boston performance art show. But the weather was awful and my rain coat only withstands rain for 5 minutes tops, so I decided not to walk down the hill to the post office during the deluge.
So Thursday, before my first class, I walked to the post office, where I was greeted by Eli, Katie, Rio, and Julien. Eli picked up a package including homemade cookies, so I got to taste cookies while the package was being retrieved. I opened it up immediately to find a note on a half sheet of yellow legal paper and two identical cds. The cds were entitled "E2 V2: In Tribute to a Dental Chair." The cover had the title written in lovely fushia ink and a great image of an old fashioned dental chair. And then I opened up the cds to look at the tracklist, and my eyes were shocked to find about 8 images of my bro's face in various situations. I think at that point, I looked up and exclaimed, "This is why my brother rocks!"
The note was pretty great and explained that this cd was his entry into a "cd of the month club" created by his college apartment mates. He included two cds, one for me and one for Wingo. Then, my favorite part of the note, "Usually I eat black beans and soft-boiled eggs for breakfast on Sundays, but today I'm having a Canadian bacon, onion, celery, and cheese omelette--- probably with a bit of tabasco. I'm cooking at halftime of the Bears game, but I'm hungry now and it just started. I bought clementines this morning. [and the clincher..] YAY!" I think it is quite common to talk about mundane crap in letters, I know that I always get updated on the rainfall from my grandmother, and I love it. I want to know more about your daily routine.
I showed the cds and note to upwards of 15 people that day. When I showed Sarah, she immediately noticed the image of "My Favorite Brother" eating pasta and inquired if artistic pasta eating runs in the family (she was referring to my current slow motion pasta eating obsession and the dance piece which includes it). Maybe it does?
And the music on the cd is (as always) great! It includes some stuff I knew and some stuff I didn't know (which is always a good mix... keeping me both interested and satisfied). Lupe Fiasco's "Kick, Push" is now one of my favorite because it gets me dancing and because it is about skateboarding (a pastime of my other favorite brother) and Lupe is from Chicago (my hometown).
Wingo was completely surprised and happy with the present. Drew has, once again, earned his title as "My Favorite Brother."
I haven't yet called to thank him, I probably should, but he will probably read this before I get to it...
