Hero

Today

My Niece posted a delightful video on Facebook today showing her children David and Dorothy running hand in hand up the street together. Apparently Dorothy calls David "Super Dave" and has decided that he is her hero.

In My Day

David and I as Yum-Yum and
Nanki-poo in the Mikado

I hadn't thought that Dorothy takes much after her great-aunt Julia but here is suddenly something we have in common. I don't quite know how old I was when I decided that my brother David was my "hero" (superheroes are a more modern invention), probably when I was about ten, certainly older than Dorothy. David was absent at boarding school most of the time so we didn't have the usual sibling sparring relationship which probably gave the glamour needed to create an idol.

We had much in common (except, maybe, an interest in buses) and I looked forward eagerly to the holidays and occasional Sunday get-togethers. He generally had an even temper and could do cool things, such as play the piano and compose music.

I wasn't at all inhibited about calling him my hero and wonder now what the rest of the family thought. Maybe it was an innocent way of having a crush on someone and David didn't disappoint. In our childhood and teenage time together we sang, rode bikes everywhere (I think it was David who taught me to love reading maps), and he was my protector at the Proms. We went Youth Hostelling together in Exmoor and enjoyed concerts and theatre visits in London. We collaborated on various crazy '60's projects, such as selling ties to Carnaby Street and attending weird John Cage and Cornelius Cardew musical "happenings". 

 As we have grown older our relationship has evolved into a normal, loving sibling closeness. I still have a residual feeling of admiration, but feel that it's more grounded in a real understanding of his talents.

What I must not forget is that my other siblings have also been  my heroes in many ways over the years and maybe I have been theirs too, on occasions. 

Your brother is pretty super, Dorothy, but so are you and I hope your brother never forgets it.