Brain damage

As I've watched Joe progress through these many, many, many years, I've carried a certain amount of guilt.  It all started when we were about 4 and 5 years old.  Even back then Joe was what he is today--happy, cheerful and pretty easy going.  However, there was another side to Joe.  He could actually weaponize that cheerfulness to the point of driving those around him absolutely crazy.  My own memorable experience occurred while working on a particularly difficult 8 or 10 piece wooden puzzle.  I don't remember exactly what Joe did, but I ended up smacking him in the head with the puzzle.  Of course everyone immediately thought I was the bad guy in this situation, and with Joe being a future lawyer,  I didn't have much luck pleading my case.  

While I feel I was the real victim here, I was not the only one.  There was also the little neighbor girl down the block - I believe she was known as Pammy Push Me Down (she got this name after sister Linda would repeatedly come home crying that Pammy had... well you know).  Anyway, Pammy encountered Joe by the swings at the park one day.  After a discussion about whose turn it was, Pammy hauled off and hit Joe in the head with a metal sprinkling can.  

While these are two instances that come to mind, I have to believe there are countless others that have occurred over the years.  As I see Joe trying to navigate around a golf course these days, I'm struck by the awful realization that there must be some accumulative brain damage which is interfering with motor skills and just general awareness of his whereabouts.  I am pleased to see that he has maintained that same cheerful attitude, and seems blissfully unaware of the decline.  Wishing him the happiest of birthdays!!   Bro