Fraternal

​Fraternal
Here I was bein smug and all and then it dawned on me.  It was actually my turn to pick a word at random from the dictionary.  I was wrong to think it was Merril’s turn.  She had picked “bull” and I had not picked anything since.
Until now.  I did the open the dictionary and did the random thing and point without looking.  My finger rested on the word “fraternal.”
That was going to be an interesting one.  I don’t know that I had ever used the word.  I had heard it often enough but not used it.  Until now.  Baptism of fire.  The dictionary defined it as “brotherly.”  The Free Dictionary went into more detail. “1 of or relating to brothers, showing comradeship. 2  of or constituting a fraternity [order] 3 Biology Of, relating to, or being a twin developed from two separately fertilized ova; dizygotic.”
The third one was news to me.  I do not think I have ever been involved in an order like point 2 talks about.  I do not think I can even start one with just me.  The Peter Graeme Kuskie order.  Nice ring but it only consisting of one does not suggest an order.
Number one I could relate to.  I have two brothers.  Well I have one now.  Had two.  Now one.  He is about 10 years older than me.  He says I should be first drop.  I do have trouble working that one out though.  Apart from a cricket context first drop is going first but in cricket it is like going second.  Whatever.
We know it is him and me now.  I really appreciate him.  I reckon he has a great sense of humour while doing what needs to be done.  Merril and I try to see him a number of times a year.  We always get together for Christmas.  Sometimes we go to him and sometimes he comes here.
He is into sport and still plays golf a couple of times a week.  B grade.  One stroke less and he is A grade.  He does not want that.  He was dirty when he played a miraculous shot one time and holed out.  It meant he went to A grade for a time.
He was a great tennis player.  When I say great it is like in local hero terms.  He could have taught professionally but chose a different road.
He is retired now but I will never forget him telling me about getting employee of the year.  He served a non-descript looking fellow and recommended a different product for his need.  Turned out he was as rich as and put in a huge order.
The term also refers to “like brothers.”  I did have a go at someone (who has a go at me big time) by saying he was from a family of three siblings but he could not see it because when he counted it was like only two others.
Not every friend is like a brother.  But there are those that are special and close.   I have a couple of mates like that.  We may not see each other often but when we do it is a take up where we left off thing.  That may be true of others but these ones I feel especially close to.
I guess I can count my blessings.  I have been close to my brothers and have some great friends.  That is not a given, but I’ll take it.