“Just Once”

If I were to change the title of “This is What it Means to Say Pheonix, Arizona” I’d take the last line between Victor and Thomas: “Just Once.” I like titles that are either cliff hangers. The phrase can be interpreted in different ways by the reader.

First, the new title will provide a sense of mystery. Does Victor want something or does Thomas? What is Thomas’ reason for providing money and not asking much in return? Perhaps the reader would view Thomas as suspicious. We’d see Thomas through Victor’s perspective better.

Next, the title could be a reference to a past memory leaving the reader to constantly search for an answer. Once Victor and Thomas hung out with each other. Was there one moment in their lives that broke them apart? Maybe the answer was when Victor beat up Thomas: the “just once” incident.

The constant engagement from the reader would be great for the moral of the story: to take care of each other (specifically through listening to one another). There isn’t a backhanded motive but a wholesome request.

Another Look at Sibling Connection Now that We’re in Quarantine

In a brief summary, “The Evolution of My Brother” depicts a relatively abusive relationship between an older sister and a younger brother. Despite the questionable activities the two did together, the siblings were very close to each other. As time progressed, Jenny went through a period where she wished to be away from her family. However, once she lost the connection she once had with her brother, she began to miss him and started reminiscing. Ultimately, Jenny realized how she treated her brother and wished to be close to him again.

Hopefully, those of you who also have a sibling doesn’t have a relationship as extreme as the one in this short story. Yet, I believe that while we’re all stuck at home, we can learn to take another look at how we interact with our siblings/family. I’m sure most of us are dying to go outside and hang out with our peers. But, if you happen to have a sibling at home with you right now, I think you’re extremely lucky.

I have two older brothers with a 7-8 year gap from me. For the past eight years, before COVID19 hit, I was basically living my life as an only child. Sure, they came home during college breaks. However, once they graduated from college, the number of times I saw them dropped significantly. Just like the younger brother, I didn’t think too much about my brothers. I didn’t even have phone calls with them. I didn’t bother sending them texts. I figured they were too busy or just didn’t want to hand out with their younger sister. I just hung out with my friends and spent most of my day at school.

Now, I’ve never wanted to hang out with my brothers more. Both of them live away from home, so the number of times I see them is limited depending on their schedules. One of them is in medical school, so I don’t get to see him for months at a time. When they visited home, I’d chill with them until they had to leave. With COVID19, we came to the consensus that having all five of us stay together wasn’t a great idea. So, we all quarantined separately. Any plans to see each other were canceled. Fortunately, I saw both my brothers last weekend since one of them was moving apartments and needed help. Even though it was hard labor, I wouldn’t trade those two days for anything.

While I am in the completely opposite position as Jenny, I think it goes to show how easy it is to forget how wonderful family is. So, the next time you don’t think you can stand being in the same room as another family member, whether its a sibling or even your parent, remember the time you have together is limited. You’re going to move on to other stages in your life, so you might as well enjoy the time you have with your family while we’re all stuck at home.