Reject Man
For the longest time, Number 2 was the youngest of all of the cousins on my Mom's side of the family.
When all of us used to get together during the holidays, the cousins would retreat to my grandparents bedroom to watch Twilight Zone marathons on a 10 inch black & white TV and figure out different ways to pick on Number 2.
A favorite game we played was to use your feet to keep Number 2 off of the bed. When you were able to lift him off the bed with your feet, you launched Number 2 off of the bed and yelled "REJECTED!"
The game was called Reject Man.
Today the Reject Man would be speaking before me after Mr. Stream starts the services. To be honest, I'm worried about how he is going to pull this off.
He has become a very shy person and I don't know if he can do it.
So I'm going to stand up with him.
We both go to a podium. Me in my Hawaiian shirt and Number 2 in his suit. He's also wearing a brand new pair of blue two-tone Vans that my dad had purchased but never had a chance to wear.
He begins what he wants to share and I get a good look at who is here for the services.
There are plenty of faces that I don't recognize and I expected that. My dad knew plenty of people that I had never met.
Then I start locking in on the people that are there for me and Number 2.
I see my aunts and one uncle. With them are two of the cousins that created the Reject Man game with me.
I make eye contact with the men that were in my wedding party and they are all smiling at me. I can't really tell if it is because of my outfit or if they are just smiling to support me. Whatever. It works.
I also found that some of my current and former co-workers made it out today. It seems a little strange but of all the people that were there, their presence meant the most to me. More than they will ever know.
And then something else catches my eye.
It is Number 2. He is on fire with his eulogy.
He is funny and sweet. He is compelling. And for the first time in my life, I see him as the adult that he has become.
He is anything but the Reject Man.
VW
When all of us used to get together during the holidays, the cousins would retreat to my grandparents bedroom to watch Twilight Zone marathons on a 10 inch black & white TV and figure out different ways to pick on Number 2.
A favorite game we played was to use your feet to keep Number 2 off of the bed. When you were able to lift him off the bed with your feet, you launched Number 2 off of the bed and yelled "REJECTED!"
The game was called Reject Man.
Today the Reject Man would be speaking before me after Mr. Stream starts the services. To be honest, I'm worried about how he is going to pull this off.
He has become a very shy person and I don't know if he can do it.
So I'm going to stand up with him.
We both go to a podium. Me in my Hawaiian shirt and Number 2 in his suit. He's also wearing a brand new pair of blue two-tone Vans that my dad had purchased but never had a chance to wear.
He begins what he wants to share and I get a good look at who is here for the services.
There are plenty of faces that I don't recognize and I expected that. My dad knew plenty of people that I had never met.
Then I start locking in on the people that are there for me and Number 2.
I see my aunts and one uncle. With them are two of the cousins that created the Reject Man game with me.
I make eye contact with the men that were in my wedding party and they are all smiling at me. I can't really tell if it is because of my outfit or if they are just smiling to support me. Whatever. It works.
I also found that some of my current and former co-workers made it out today. It seems a little strange but of all the people that were there, their presence meant the most to me. More than they will ever know.
And then something else catches my eye.
It is Number 2. He is on fire with his eulogy.
He is funny and sweet. He is compelling. And for the first time in my life, I see him as the adult that he has become.
He is anything but the Reject Man.
VW
posted by JVW at 8:49 PM
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