Vignettes about Donald and I. These where during the teen years of our lives. Weight Lifting with a Purpose, A Morning Fishing, Music, and Our First Car.
Weight Lifting with a Purpose.
When I was 14yrs old I started to lift weights to get stronger. At first I was the only one weight lifting. Later Donald started lifting weights with me. I showed him the correct form for lifting weights so he would not get injured. It was fun for the both of us together to be lifting weights. I got to the point where I could clean and press 10lbs more than my body weight, but Donald was able to clean and press 30 lbs more than his body weight. I could see that Donald was getting stronger and more muscular.
He was lifting weights to help him to be a gymnast in high school. During the 1967 school year, Donald wrote on a friend’s gymnastics team photo that he was going to be a future gymnast of Fremont High. Two years later Donald was captain of the Fremont High gymnastics team. I watched Donald at the Oakland Athletic League gymnastics meet win in the pommel horse and he would go on to win the pommel horse at the NorCal meet later that year.
A Morning Fishing
It was a summer day in the mid 1960s when dad took Donald and I fishing early one Saturday morning, just the three of us. We arrived just before sunrise at the Berkeley rock wall. Dad left us to fish on our own while he went fishing. I told Donald, “Let's fish on the inside rock wall since its calmer water (no waves pounding the rocks).” It was low tide and I told Donald that stripers come close to shore on incoming tide searching for food. I said, “Live small shiner perch were the perfect bait for this tide condition,” and Donald agreed with me.
I was hoping my strategy would work. We caught several small shiners with one fishing rod; for some reason that day Donald and I had to share one rod. We hooked one shiner with no sinker. Donald and I carefully watched the fishing line, suddenly the shiner started to move around quickly. Then the line ran away from shore and I open the bale and had Donald hold the rod with the fishing line running out rapidly. Donald and I debated when should we close bale. I said to wait a little longer, then Donald closed bale and made a great hook set. The rod bent over and we could only hear the fish jump out of the water. We could not see the fish jump due to the rising morning sun, yet Donald skillfully brought in the 6 lb striper. We did the same again hooking another shiner and waiting for the bite. Another big striper took the live bait. This time I held the rod and caught a nice size striper. Dad had heard from other fisherman that two young guys had caught 2 nice size bass; it was us! Donald and I were proud and happy that we each caught a nice size striper and were excited to show dad. We could see dad was happy when he saw the nice size stripers. When Donald and I came home, dad told mom that her two boys caught the fish and we told mom our fish tale. Dad, mom, Donald, and I were happy; a vivid memory and a feeling I cherish.
Music
Everyone in the family new Donald was musically inclined. One day dad said that a coworker was coming over to the house to sell musical instruments. He came in the evening with two used guitars, an acoustic and a Fender electric guitar. Our dad was negotiating price for the guitars. Dad said the asking price was too high for used guitars. Donald did not complain, we all knew mom and dad both had jobs to make ends meet. A few days later dad came home with the guitars. Dad said he brought the guitars when the price was right! Donald was happy, he had guitars to play music. Donald mostly played acoustic guitar around the house. Later he began playing the Fender guitar. Two of Donald’s friends were also interested in playing music. Steve, Duane, and Donald formed a band. They played rock music. David, my younger brother, and I remember listening to them play in Steve’s mom garage around the corner. I remember them playing “Light My Fire by the Doors”. The band started performing at local dance concerts. They got paid for playing many dance concerts at the Mormon Temple. Steve, Duane, and Donald played “Turn, Turn, Turn by the Byrds” at his high school graduation.
Our First Car
I was in junior college and Donald had graduated high school when both of us wanted to have a car to drive. Each of us had saved enough money to buy a used car, but we needed to get auto insurance. Donald and I knew that dad needed to purchase the insurance for us; we negotiated with dad that we would share a car, two for one, if he would help pay for the auto insurance and dad agreed to pay. Both Donald and I went looking for a used car and found a used 1967 Chevelle Malibu. We split the cost and had a car. It was a cool car that Donald and I drove on different days. We both had a great time driving that car.
I will miss my younger brother. Throughout his life he was a kind and a sharing person.
