I hate it when people are insensitive to issues that require sensitivity.
My younger brother had always not done great in school. Either he comes last or second to last.
In fact, the day he came second to last, I had to get him an ice cream, although I cut the ice cream in half.
“If you go higher I will keep increasing the size.” I said.
I could see the disappointment on his face.
I discussed with my friends about my younger brother and one of my friends came off very rude.
“I wonder why you are wasting your hard earned money on that book that is not intelligent.” He laughed as he made fun of my younger brother.
He could see how concerned and how much expectation I had for my brother and yet he stepped on it like it was nothing.
He called my investment on my brother a waste.
The most painful part of the issue was that my younger brother heard it. He was just passing by when he saw me and decided to come say hello.
I actually didn’t know he heard it till after a few months, when his results for the previous term came out.
This time he passed fifteen people.
I could remember how he cried as he showed me the result. I was proud of him but I didn’t want to show it before he would relax in that level.
I held his hands as we walked to go get him an ice cream.
“John” he called out. Without waiting for my response he asked.
“Do you think your friend was right?” He asked.
“I don’t understand. What friend?” I asked.
“The one that said that you were wasting your money paying for my school fees that I’m not Intelligent.”
Hearing his words, my heart bled. I finally understood why he cried that much. He felt he had proven my friend right.
No one rehearsing for what he would say in this kind of situation. Our parents died and left me to raise him on my own. So far I think I have been doing a good job although I don’t think I’m the one raising him, he is actually the one Raising me.
Knowing that I’m all he has, I didn’t want him to feel the absence of my parents that much. The words my friend said that evening, my little brother had carried the weight for months without showing any sign of it.
After that comment from my friend that evening, that was the last time I ever hung out with him. I hang out with the remaining guys but I cut him off totally.
I made him stop visiting me at home and ignored him if I saw him on the road.
But, the term my younger brother came third in class. I carried my brother. I gave him a piggyback. And we walked to my old friends house and he was the first person I showed the results.
“Never you again in your life say my baby brother is not intelligent.”
Call me petty, that’s your business, I’m a proud brother.
For a whole week I bought my brother ice cream everyday.
While we walked back home after my confrontation with my friend.
My brother smiled all through the way. I thought it was about his results.
“John, thank you for defending me and also believing in me.”
I couldn’t help but cry that night.
The weight that he carried from the hateful comment from my old friend was dissolved.
Thanks for stopping by❤️❤️
