Too Much, Too Soon

Tony Covatta

4 hours ago

1 min read

A rainy afternoon. Age twelve, doing my paper route, there's my brother Chris, age six, walking toward me, under a huge umbrella.

"What's up?"

"Today I go. Mom is mean."

"Go where? Live where? Will you go to school?"

"Don't know." times three.

"Come." I take him home.

"Guess what I found?" Not funny. Upset Mom has his note: "Today I go." I retreat to our room, lay on my bed, Chris sits on his. Mom charges in and slaps, spanks, pounds, beats him.

"Never do that again."

He didn't.

Why didn't I go, why not take him with me?

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