Friday, November 1, 2024
Lorne was the big brother I adored.
He taught me how to play Chinese Checkers before I went to school so I learned to count and make strategies. When I was in grade school, he taught me algebra that came in handy years later. Lorne built a backyard rink and taught me how to skate.
We had adventures together: a ride on an octopus when I was little and I wasn’t afraid because my big brother was with me.
As brothers do, he liked to tease. One day he took it too far and I bounced a pointy wooden top off his head. Lorne took his jackknife and turned the top into shavings, teaching me there could be simple solutions to life’s problems.
Since my sister Helen and I had a double wedding, Lorne was the one who gave me away.
In later years we often reminisced about the good and sometimes the bad in our childhoods—there was always laughter and good natured kidding.
Lorne was the big brother I adored.