Percy and Eli met up at the entrance to the park and walked along the path toward their game table under the oak tree. Percy was the keeper of the chessboard and pieces, which he now carried under his arm. As the two Rowe brothers meandered down the path children played on the swings to their left.
“When was the last time you sat on one of those things Perce?” Eli asked Percy.
“The last time was probably that time you kept pushin’ me higher and higher ’til I fell off flat on my face in the dirt,” replied Percy.
“Come on now. I never did that!”
“No?” questioned Percy as he stopped, put down the box with the chessboard and pieces and proceeded to roll up his left pant leg. “See that scar there? That’s you, you old fart. Did that when we lived up the block from that park where they filmed that kid’s baseball movie.”
“I did that? Sheesh. Don’t recall. Oh, I know what park yer talkin’ about. Shoot, Perce, that swing set played a key roll in that movie. You oughta be thankin’ me for the tiny scar of yours.”
Regaining his composure, pant leg rolled back down and chess game in hand, Percy simply scowled at his older brother and continued walking.
It wasn’t too much farther when Eli broke the silence between them. “When d’ya suppose Jesse will be here today?”
Percy pointed ahead of them, “Well, brother. It looks as if he got here early today.”
Sitting in his usual place on the bench beneath the oak, Jesse was gazing out at the early birds to the park – most of them neighborhood kids. Turning his head around to his left, he saw his two brothers in the distance walking toward him. He smiled wide then turned his attention back to the few people out on the grass, then to the sky as he observed the puffy white clouds.
“Ah, ya see that?!” exclaimed Eli. “Prepare yourself Percy. His head’s already floating in the air. I’ll bet you five bucks he asks one of his questions before all the pieces are even set up on the board.”
“It’s a losing bet bro, but I’ll take it. If not just to get you started on your day in a good mood.”
As the two approached the concrete table, Jesse lowered his gaze and focused it on his brothers. “Good morning brothers! Fine day, don’t you think?”
Eli, intent on winning his bet, baited Jesse, “What are you doin’ here so early Jess? I see your head’s in the clouds already.”
“And a grand good morning to you Eli. And, since you asked, I guess you’d say my mind has been thinking on things this morning. Thought I’d get here a bit early just to get a head start on you two – no offense Perce. So… I’ve been thinkin’…”
“You owe me five bucks Percy,” let out Eli before Jesse could continue.
Jesse, quickly discerning what Eli’s comment was about, continued, “I’ve been observing the few families that are here early this morning and I just asked myself, so I’ll ask you – and I’ll split that bet I know Eli has against your Percy – Do you celebrate the things you have at this point in your life? What I mean is, we all tend to pay attention to the things we don’t have – like missed opportunities and all that – but if you think for a moment on what you DO have, do you celebrate them in your hearts?”
As the older Rowe brothers listened to Jesse’s inquiry, they proceeded to set up the chess pieces on the board as they sat down on cold concrete to begin a new game. Silence ruled the next few minutes as Jesse expressed patience and allowed his brothers to settle into their game. Eli, feeling a bit of guilt for knowingly winning the cursory bet with Percy, now shared with Jesse, finally broke the silence.
“Damn you, Jesse… No, I don’t mean that. It’s just that somehow… somehow you always seem to touch a part of me that melts the man in me and I get all mushy inside, which, mind you, I can’t stand. And I gotta tell ya – if the gals were here, or anyone else for that matter, I’d come over there and slap you upside the head, sit back down, and tell Percy there to make the first move. But, well, it’s just us and you both know I love ya. So, all mush aside… In answer to your question Jesse, what hits me first is my kids. Well, maybe first is my grandkids. But thinkin’ o’ them leads me back to my own kids – you know what I mean? Anyway, ya, I celebrate the little ones. They have a whole lifetime ahead of them and I get to sit there with them on my lap and share some o’ my own life. And I’ll be darned if they don’t listen! Just like I always did – and I know you two did too – when Gramps would share his time earned wisdom with us.”
Eli had captured the attention of both his brothers. It was a full minute or so after he finished before Percy responded. Pulling a five dollar bill out of his pocket, he reached it across the concrete table to Eli and said, “My God, Eli. You bring a wonder to each day more than Jesse sometimes with his high-falutin’ questions. You deserve this five bucks. I guess that leaves me to answer next. Frankly, I can’t top Eli’s answer. And what’s more, I’d have to say “ditto”. My grandkids are a life preserver to an old goat like me. But I gotta say, they wouldn’t listen so intently to my stories and parables if it weren’t for their own parents, my kids. Somehow, through all the struggles and heartache I guess they made it okay too.”
Next was Jesse’s own answer to his question. “Darned if we aren’t all agreed on the answer to that question. But sitting here, listening to you two share such intimate feelings, I’d have to say a very close second to what you have both shared is how much I celebrate the three of us. Here. Right now. Thanks fellas, bros. I love you both so much.”
With that Eli felt enough was enough. Sensing a trickle, God forbid a flood, of tears, he quickly Exclaimed aloud, “All good little bro. Percy! make yer first move!”