My Sister

My Sister

My sister was younger than me and a pain in the ass.
My sister would hold her breath until she passed out when told no.
She got her way a LOT.

My four year old sister would straddle an anthill
Dad would hose her off when they started biting.
The ants floated on top of the bathwater - they weren't always dead.
I hated bathing with her on those days.

My six year old sister would change her name
Demanding she be called Tarzan then Jane
Then Son, then sun like the sun in the sky.
She would climb the bush and give Tarzan yells
Waving the blue wax Tinker Bell from DisneyWorld around.
I yelled at her, told her not to be stupid - that her name was Beth.

My seven year old sister and I fought over the last ding-dong.
My firm headlock kept her from the treat.
Until the floor got the dingdong.
A stomped foot made sure neither of us enjoyed it
When she bent to scrape the part that hadn't touched the floor.
I was angry she was willing to eat off the floor.

My nine year old sister became diabetic.
Oranges were shot with saline as we learned.
The deep fryer was thrown out
And our meals revolved solely around her diet
From that point on.
I resented her because I had to eat what she ate
And not what I was used to and wanted.

My twelve year old sister was an attendance aide
At Shawnee Junior High and would answer the phone
"George's morgue, you stab, we slab."
Everyone loved her and she got away with it.
I thought my sister was a brat
Who got away with murder.

My fourteen year old sister would ride with me on weekend nights.
We would drive around Shawnee, staying within the city limits.
We'd drive and talk, "cruise the 'Poo" which consisted of driving
Kickapoo Street (a main street in Shawnee) from Federal to McArthur
And back again, an endless loop of parking lots with cars stopped
And kids talking and laughing, hooking up and trading off
Each other and whatever they had managed to sneak out of the house.
I loved those times and loved my sister.

My twenty-something year old sister came out as a lesbian.
My dad and mom were stony but did not reject her.
A lot of her friends dumped her and called her names.
I didn't know what to think because it was supposed to be a sin
But it was my one and only sister.

My thirty year old sister worked in a group home
She loved those kids and they loved her,
And had fewer incidents on her shift
Than any other staff member in the company.
Kids would call years later to let her know they were doing okay.
I admired my sister for working a low-paying job
That kept her from getting adequate medical care
While she helped those kids better themselves.

My forty-two year old sister died.
Her death certificate said due to diabetic complications.
Friends who had denied her when she came out
Came to her memorial and cried.
She was cremated and her ashes scattered.
Given Oklahoma's water shortage and winds,
My sister is likely inside a lot of homophobes now.
A little gay spread to make your day
As cheerful as she was.

I know she would have found that hysterical.