My brother

Today is my brother's birthday, Anthony Wilford (or, as we know him, Bill). He is 76. I have thought of him all day, all of last week, actually. Don't know how to contact him--long story, don't ask.

But I love to see him, and that happens less and less. I don't watch daytime TV and so I miss those Liberty commercials where he talks about getting your diabetes testing materials delivered right to your door.

Once in a while I'll see that a movie he was in is on TV, and I own The Firm and Absence of Malice. So I could watch them again if I wanted to. I think those are the best, although China Syndrome and Cocoon (the first one) are also good. There are many others--The Thing, High Road to China, In and Out, Stone Boy, Electric Horseman, etc., etc., etc.

I have wondered if his TV show, "Our House" shows in syndication anywhere. I'd watch it. At least occasionally.

The Firm is hard to watch, actually, because he gets kicked to death by Tom Cruise at the end, but he's good in it.

This is the brother who took me to high school one day, let me off near a group of about 15 black students, shouted "Long live Governor Faubus," and drove off fast. Did he think what I might face? What those students might say or do to me? Obviously not.

They did say something as they approached me en masse. They were not pleased by what he had shouted, and they wore a threatening look--down to the last one of them. And I had to talk my way to peace and safety. Good thing I was known by some of them. Good thing I'm a good talker.

Anyway, that was more than fifty years ago (can I believe it? fifty years!), and I love my brother Bill. Today I wish him well and a happy birthday.