Jason & Tommy didn't have a typical
relationship as
brothers. Jason was 14 and Tommy was 10.
Jason wasn't
just Tommy's older brother, though; he
was his best friend
in the whole world. While most older
brothers wanted
nothing to do with their younger
brothers, Jason would
always try to invite Tommy to participate
in his activities.
Tommy loved his big brother. They were
true pals.
Besides his brother Jason, Tommy didn't
have many
friends. Tommy often wondered what he
would do
without his older brother. You see,
Little Tommy had
been born with a cardiopulmonary disease.
This had
stunted Tommy's growth and had robbed him
of his
youthful energy. It wasn't that he didn't
want to play
baseball, tag and all the games that
other boys his age
played, it's just that he got tired real
quick when he did.
Knowing this, the other boys never wanted
Tommy to
be on their team. They would fight over
whose team
Tommy would have to be on, and he was
often labeled
as a wimp or sissy by the healthier
boys.
But things were different around his
older brother
Jason. Sometimes Tommy and Jason would
play their
own game of baseball. Jason was a good
athlete and
everyone wanted Jason on their team.
However Jason
would only consent to play if they would
also let Tommy
be on his team. If the other boys said no
then Jason and
Tommy would both leave and do something
together.
School had just ended and it was summer
now. Curt,
Nathan and Ron wanted to go on an
overnighter in the
mountains. Naturally, they wanted Jason
to come along
also. "Let's go ask him if he can go
tomorrow," Ron spoke
up. Curt was quick to respond. "What if
he wants Tommy
to tag along? It will slow us all down,
and we don't want to
spend the whole time hiking to the
campsite."
Nathan was the first to speak to Jason at
his house.
"Hey, Jason, the three of us are going on
an overnighter
up in Adam's Canyon. Are you with us?"
"Sure I am!" Jason was excited. "I'll
have Tommy's pack
and my own ready to go tonight," he said.
The three boys looked at each other,
wondering who
would tell Jason that Tommy wasn't
welcome to come.
Finally Curt spoke up. "Hey, ah, Jason...
this hike is just
for the four of us. Tommy would slow us
all down.
Nothing against Tommy, but why don't you
leave him
home this time?"
Jason saw Tommy through the corner of his
eye. Tommy
was standing by his bedroom door,
listening intently to
the whole conversation. He was bravely
trying to hold
back the tears if rejection.
Jason stood up and said, "I'm sorry,
guys, but if Tommy
isn't welcome, then I'm not going either.
You guys have
fun. "Hey, wait a minute," said Ron.
"It's okay with me if
Tommy comes. We can leave a little bit
earlier to give us
more time." The guys agreed on a
departing time for the
next morning, and left.
Six o'clock came early the next morning.
Tommy was
ready by 5:30 a.m. This was to be his
first real hike.
Within the first quarter mile, it was
obvious that Tommy's
progress would be slow. He wanted so much
to please
Jason by walking fast, but the faster he
walked, the sooner
he would have to rest. The other boys
were anxious to get
to the campsite, and often found
themselves leaving Jason
and Tommy behind.
"Here, Tommy, my pack is light. Let me
carry yours, too,"
Jason said, with concern for his brother.
Embarrassed,
Tommy gave Jason his heavy burden. "I'm
sorry," said
Tommy. "I'm doing the best I can."
"I know, Tommy," Jason said as he rustled
Tommy's hair.
After two miles Tommy was struggling with
fatigue. He
was sweating profusely and fighting for
air. His chest felt
tight, too. I'll go a long way before I
stop to rest this time,
thought Tommy. The other boys were out of
sight now.
After five more minutes of walking, Tommy
fell to his
knees. "I gotta stop," whimpered Tommy,
with tears of
frustration cutting clear streams through
the dust on his
face. "That's okay," said Jason. "Take
all the time you need."
Jason was obviously worried as he saw
Tommy struggling
for breath. "Jason, something is
happening inside my chest!
It hurts awful bad." Tommy was slumping
over on the
ground in pain. Jason slipped the packs
off his back and
rolled Tommy over. Tommy's tense body
relaxed suddenly
as he looked up into Jason's eyes that
had tears now, too.
"I love you an awful lot, Jason." The
struggle was over now.
Tommy's little body had given up. The
tears came freely
from Jason's eyes s he tightly hugged his
brother.
"I'll miss you, Tommy," Jason softly
whispered.
Forty-five minutes later, tears were
still trickling from
Jason's eyes when the other boys
returned. "Hey,
Jason, we thought you guys got-- Ron
stopped short in
the middle of his comment. A chill ran
down the boy's backs.
Jason was supporting Tommy's silent head
in his lap,
caressing the tear-stained face of his
little brother.
"Is he...is he dead, Jason?" Ron asked
tenderly.
"Yeah," Jason said, as another tear fell
quietly from
his eyes to Tommy's face. "He was doing
his very best
for me." Two more minutes passed in
silence.
"I'll carry him down now," Jason said, as
he gently
lifted the lifeless body in the cradle of
his arms.
Nothing was said for 20 minutes down the
mountain
trail. Finally, Curt tapped Jason on his
shoulder, "I'll
spell ya and carry Tommy for a while. You
must be
getting tired now."
"No," Jason kept walking.
He ain't heavy...he's my brother."
Author Unknown To Me
Support the
fight against
Breast Cancer
Song "You Weren't Heavy My Brother" by
Jerry Morris
Thank you so much Jerry for allowing me to use your music....Dede
Page put together by
Jimmy
