Day 13 of the 15-Day Photo Challenge

Did you ever notice that sometimes in large families (I have seven siblings!) alliances are formed between two or more of the children? Sometimes siblings closest in age will be close in life; sometimes the only boys in a family of women will forge a bond, but sometimes, an older sibling will "adopt" a younger one.

That is my story.

The picture above is of me and my Big Bro. He is the oldest (16 years between us), I am the youngest, we are the closest. He is my confidante, my best friend, my biggest supporter, and has rescued me on several occasions.

Once, when I was in Jr. High, I had received a scholarship to Westlake School For Girls, a school that children of celebrities attended (It's now called Crossroads). I was part of an experiment called Project Open Future where they plucked the top girl and boy from about five inner city schools and sent them to various boarding schools, ostensibly to give them a leg up on life, open up their future. At the time, Westlake was an all-girl's school and everyone there treated me kindly, even though I surely looked like the odd-man-out, especially when Friends and Family Day rolled around. I didn't know if anyone would show up for me. My dad had three jobs, my mom didn't drive the freeways, but I dressed up in my best dress (Easter outfit) and waited outside anyway.

I saw many chauffer-driven Hollywood stars come and go visiting their children, but no one came for me. The girls were starting to feel sorry for me, as it was getting late in the day and I was feared that I'd become known as the only girl for whom no one showed up.

Until suddenly, against the backdrop of a setting sun, pulling dramatically into the parking lot at the last possible moment . . . came my Big Bro like a knight in shining armor, except he was driving a sky blue Triumph. "Happy" seems inadequate to express how I felt at that moment. He rescued me, and our bond got even tighter. We are still close after all these years, and I am so happy to have him in my life.