Happy Birthday, Brother

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Happy Birthday to my brother, Jeff.

It’s hard to believe that he left us more than 17 years ago.

I’m not exaggerating when I say that I’ve thought of him every day since, and I’m comforted by the fact that I don’t have enough information in regard to the grand plan.

There are so many missed rounds of golf, and Yankees games, and dinners and laughs and laughs and laughs.

On his birthday, as with other days, I think about those moments that so many of us were cheated out of.

And the fact that 17 years has passed is mind-boggling to me.

We have our memories, of course, and they’re enormous, but there are days when they aren’t enough.

The new Stones record is three weeks away.

He’d be fired up.

Aaron Judge would be his favorite baseball player, and we’d probably argue about whether or not Anthony Volpe is a good enough player.

But life is funny in a way because I definitely know how he feels on each subject…

…I argue with his son, Johnny…

…I sent over the new Stones songs as soon as I heard them.

He’s a big Volpe fan.

We argue about that, and Johnny and my boy, Sam, are still running Jeff’s fantasy baseball team…

…last year they finished in the money and this year they’re ahead of me in the standings.

I’m taking a lot of wise ass commentary over that…

…just as I did anytime Jeff bested me.

In fact, that’s a great story.

Jeff was in contention for the fantasy league championship one year, and I had Alex Rodriguez on my team - in a keeper league - where I could keep A-Rod for 3 years.

“Trade me A-Rod. I win the championship, and I’ll throw you some of the money for winning, and as soon as the season is over I’ll trade A-Rod back to you so you have him for next year.”

We worked out the trade.

He won money.

And that’s where the story ends.

We laughed a lot about the fact that I never received a share of the money or A-Rod back.

I would send him a trade offer and he would reject it.

I told Johnny the story the other day, and we laughed some more.

Jeff didn’t leave.

He doesn’t leave until we all leave.

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