November 16, 2006

Wordless

When my mother-in-law had to stop driving because of her macular degeneration, she gave her car to my two college-age kids to share. So even though they live at Snowstorm University, both kids can drive home whenever they want, which is pretty often. My Beautiful Smart Wonderful Daughter will appear when I least expect it, sometimes waking me up late at night to talk – and then laughing at me in the morning because I don't remember the conversation. She volunteers at the Women's Shelter on Saturdays, and will stop here afterwards to go through our cupboards and take food back to her apartment. Boy in Black will stop home during the week after a drum or guitar lesson, or he sometimes comes home on the weekend if he doesn't have an Ultimate Frisbee tournament.

I think my youngest two boys love having their older siblings home so often, but they don't actually feel the need to say so aloud.

The other day, for instance, I was sitting on the couch in front of the fire when With-a-Why came home from school. He smiled when he saw that his oldest brother was home, but did not even say a word to him as he went over to the refrigerator to get something to eat. Boy in Black, sitting at the piano, said nothing either but in a few minutes, he began playing a Bob Dylan song I recognized, All Along the Watchtower.

When With-a-Why wandered over near the piano, Boy in Black nodded to him, and moved over on the piano bench. Without a word, With-a-Why slid into place next to his big brother, and his fingers began moving over the keys. Sometimes with three hands, sometimes with four hands, they played the familiar tune together. Their posture was just the same as they sat together on the bench, long hair hiding both their faces, their heads close together, sunlight falling on the keys and on their hands.

The song ended with all four hands, all twenty fingers, moving rapidly over the keys. The brothers grinned at each other. Then Boy in Black went back to his Organic Chemistry book, and With-a-Why went over to dump papers out of his school backpack and find a form he needed me to sign.

These two brothers have never needed words to communicate.

hands at piano

20 comments:

Chip said...

it's really nice to read about siblings who have such a great positive relationship.

Yankee, Transferred said...

So, so wonderful.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Wonderful. And so homey. (My parents have a very similar piano, where I've spent countless hours, by a window that casts light from the same angle.)

You have some good kids, jo(e).

Anonymous said...

I admire your ability to take a moment and render it with just the right words.

BeachMama said...

Thank you for sharing such a personal moment. Nothing would make me happier than seeing my kids get along so well.

jo(e) said...

meryhall: If you are wondering what happened to your comment, you must have clicked on that little trash can icon. That will delete your comment. I've done it myself accidentally many times.

RageyOne said...

It sounds like your kids have a really great relationship with one another.

Anonymous said...

I love that picture.

Anonymous said...

interesting blog!

Anonymous said...

Very sweet guys you've got there.

ccw said...

Beautiful!

Scrivener said...

What a sweet post.

YourFireAnt said...

Reading this piece was like having a beam of light pierce my chest and lift up all my molecules.

FA

Anonymous said...

I lvoe this post as I also have two boys about the ages of yours. I love to watch them together. Am going to make the 5 hour round trip this afternoon to get the oldest from college. We get him home for a week!!

On another note, I was the meryhall person who tried to leave a message. I've switched my blog to beta and now cannot sign on as before and don't seem to be able to sign on the new way either. Drives me crazy so am trying a different way this time.

jo(e) said...

PPB: I am not sure they even knew I was taking a photo. They were both really focused on the music and pretty much oblivous to anything around them.

Anonymous said...

I love your boys.

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

Such a loving family--wish I could visit more often!

Anonymous said...

Delurking to say this lovely post was on my mind on and off yesterday.

Milliner's Dream, a woman of many "hats"... said...

Another of your poignant posts; Your writing is always just right.

Hh

swissmiss said...

I've been meaning to stop lurking and start commenting. This is beautiful, both the relationship it portrays and the writing.