Oh Brother, where art thou?

 June 18, 2016

I look into my brother’s room, he is hunched over his computer, his gaming ear phones on, and he is talking into the microphone to his friends in the game with him.

“Graham,” I ask, “come to the club with me this weekend.  I think you’ll like it and we can spend some really quality time together.”

Graham ignores me for a little bit, talking into his headset to his buddies, then he hisses back at me.  “Go away.  I don’t want to go to your stupid club and hang out with all your pervert friends.”

“They’re not perverts”.  I respond to him.  “Mom knows most of them, and they are really nice, honest people.  Just come out for a day.  You don’t have to talk to anyone, it can be just you and me hanging out.”

Graham rapidly taps his mouse and calls out to his gaming buddies.  “No!  I refuse to die!  I refuse to...  oh shit, oh shit!!!”  He smashes down on his keyboard and drops his head down.  

“Did you hear me Graham?”  I ask again.

“Yeah, something about you and me hanging out naked, and that’s really pretty perverted sis.  Do you know what would happen  to me in school if my friends found out about that?  You better not let anyone find out you’re a pervert.”

“So... this weekend...” I start patiently, “I will be out in the sunshine, I will feel grass under my feet, feel water and wind on my skin.  I will engage with real people, have adult conversations, play with children and connect with others on a personal level.  You will spend your time in this digital tomb.  Which one of us is perverted Graham?”

My brother just adjusts his head set and rapidly clicks his keyboard, “Dudes, no shitting the bed this time!”  Looking back at me he rubs the bridge of his nose.  “Uh huh.”