The Son Chymes In
As evidenced by my previous entry (and several others if you go back through my archives), one might guess YBJ and I have become quite close. One would be right.
I always thought being the gay man of the family clan that my sister and I would remain the closest. For years it felt that way. Funny thing though, we're not. It's the oldest (me) and the youngest (Joshua) who have forged super strong family ties.
One day in the late 90's (my final year in Chicago) I found myself perusing the CD collection of one Evil Clown music shop. Evil Clown never failed me when I needed my remix fix; which was often. On this particular day the sales clerk, noting my most recent purchases, suggested the Sunchyme remix CD by Dario G.
I bought two copies and mailed one to a then 14 year old YBJ, with the following note attached:
A few years ago, when YouTube came about, he got to see the video and only then fully understood the message I was trying to convey. We are family. No matter the circumstances, the parents involved, the races of our Fathers; we're brothers, through and through. And if sending a cheesy pop song to a fourteen year old sibling makes me just that much gayer, so be it. The message of love is there, loud and clear.
Some of YBJ's friends are throwing a party for him tonight in honor of his upcoming 24th birthday, just a few days away.
He's calling me when this song makes it into the rotation. And if I know my brother, somewhere between old school Biggie and current Mary J. Blige, it will.
I always thought being the gay man of the family clan that my sister and I would remain the closest. For years it felt that way. Funny thing though, we're not. It's the oldest (me) and the youngest (Joshua) who have forged super strong family ties.
One day in the late 90's (my final year in Chicago) I found myself perusing the CD collection of one Evil Clown music shop. Evil Clown never failed me when I needed my remix fix; which was often. On this particular day the sales clerk, noting my most recent purchases, suggested the Sunchyme remix CD by Dario G.
I bought two copies and mailed one to a then 14 year old YBJ, with the following note attached:
- "Hi. Know that wherever I am, whatever time of day it is, whether I'm grooving in a club while sipping gin or walking along the beach and listening to my favorite songs; whenever this song plays I will stop dead in my tracks and think of you. I love you, Frankie."
A few years ago, when YouTube came about, he got to see the video and only then fully understood the message I was trying to convey. We are family. No matter the circumstances, the parents involved, the races of our Fathers; we're brothers, through and through. And if sending a cheesy pop song to a fourteen year old sibling makes me just that much gayer, so be it. The message of love is there, loud and clear.
Some of YBJ's friends are throwing a party for him tonight in honor of his upcoming 24th birthday, just a few days away.
He's calling me when this song makes it into the rotation. And if I know my brother, somewhere between old school Biggie and current Mary J. Blige, it will.
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