at the golden corral with Ronnie

There he is, with his goofy "I love you" face.
Every time I look at this photograph, I sob.
I do so wish he would opt to be sober.
I don't know how many more times together we will have.
I am about to leave for my GA-AL-NC adventures and will be gone for almost two weeks. Then, after a brief weekend return, I'll be off to my Kissimmee-S.Beach adventures and will be gone for two weeks. That means it will be nearly a month before I will see my middle brother again.
If he has not killed himself with alcohol by then.
With the hot summer weather and him living in a tent, the odds are not in my favor.
In my heart and mind, I am sorely afraid that this was the last time I will ever share his company.
I had invited him to join me today for my free birthday meal at Golden Corral. To my surprise, he had enthusiastically agreed! I picked him up and off we went.
As we're standing at the register, I see the penny. The bright copper gleam on the dark mat, there on the clerk's left, at her feet.
We were in the right place, at the right time.
I knew to capture the moment, to crystallize it in my memory.
This was a special day.
The clerk rang up my free lunch and free drink in return for the birthday coupon. I prepared to pay for Ronnie's meal.
With his gray beard and scraggy appearance, the clerk gave him the senior discount.
He's four years younger than me.
He's only 52, and, hopefully, will see his 53rd birthday next month.
Hopefully, but maybe not.
At one point when we dined, I talked to him about alcohol abuse treatment centers, of course. I've been singing that song to him for at least the last ten years.
No, he was still not interested.
As he put it, "I don't see that happening, sis."
Maybe, possibly, he would consider a totally secular approach?
Maybe, possibly, he agreed, saying what I wanted him to say.
Meanwhile, he filled up on two plates of food, including some of his favorites: deviled eggs and salad and fried shrimp.
And sweet tea.
The man drank six glasses of sweet tea! After his third glass arrived and he drained it, the waiter had filled the three glasses on the table. It was an incredible amount of tea!
As I told him I would, I've signed him up for their "Gold as Gold" Club, so we can come again for his birthday.
Hopefully.
I do so enjoy spending time with him when he's sober.
I do so enjoy having my brother back, the one I grew up with and love joking around with.
I do hope he will still be alive to enjoy his birthday.
But my tears tell me he may not.