”I found the solution!” My little brother’s eyes were gleaming at me and he was obviously very proud.
Ruben always wanted to impress me and gain my recognition.
Our father had given us each a toy rubber kangaroo. I myself, believed I had become just a bit too old to play with rubber kangaroos, but our father believed that we had to be treated equal; if he gave one of us something, the other should receive the same. Besides, if he did not abide by that rule, it usually meant trouble!
Nonetheless, these kangaroos really fascinated me. Not that I wanted to play with them, of course, but these two kangaroos was exactly alike. Not one single difference. Not one single tiny flaw that would tell them apart. Ruben and I closely examined the rubber kangaroos and discussed how we were to tell which was mine and which was his.
“I have broken off the tail of yours and now we can always tell the difference”, he said, while handing me a tailless rubber kangaroo.
I was baffled. He could not be serious.
After a few minutes we headed downstairs to meet with the “chief judge” and I filed my complaint. He listened us both out and ruled that the tailless rubber kangaroo was to be given my baby brother and I was to have the rubber kangaroo with tail.
My little brother looked confused at first but then started to cry. “No no, this is David’s kangaroo. I do not want this one” he cried, while holding the tailless rubber kangaroo towards me, expecting me to switch them back. I did not comply with his request. Justice had been served.
And so we grew up and became adults.
But he could not bear to keep apologizing, he wrote.
God, I miss him.
