Happy birthday, cueball

08.24.2003

My little brother is 23 years old today. Not so little, eh? He's enjoying ocean sun in Puerto Rico w/ college friends. Ah, to be young!

When I think of Andy, I think of watching him play soccer over the years. He played in some pretty good youth travel teams as a kid. He played varsity soccer as a freshman. He was good (still is). I was fascinated by how effortlessly he glided across the pitch, the ball an extension of his body.

Like Valderama, Andy didn't run. He just sorta sauntered across the field. And yet. He was always right where the ball landed on a drop pass. And he could put the ball right where you wanted it on a through pass. He was the perfect midfielder. Andy always had about as many season assists as the rest of the team put together. He was never greedy, he didn't showboat — he just handed goals over to his forwards, all precisely gift-wrapped.

He doesn't play soccer much anymore. He works as an IT tech at an accounting firm, paying his way through college. And he's got a really good chance of landing a very cherry job in DuPont's supply chain management division.

Things change, of course. When you're a kid, you do kid things. Then you grow up. It's just the way it is. But Andy'll always be the little kid w/ the bad haircut and the dirty cleats.

Posted by Miguel at 10:02 AM

Comments

I tried calling him today. No luck. I got to go and visit with him when he returns from his Puerto Rican adventure.

Posted by: sam at August 25, 2003 12:25 AM

Thanks miguel, I had a great birthday relaxing and sitting by the ocean eating wonton and eggdrop soup. My cell doesn't work here but I am trying to go to internet every day I can.

Thank you so much for writing about me, I miss those days so much, soccer was such a largee part. I wish I didn't have to look back at it as just memories, but at least I had a ton of great ones. You put a tear in my eye. Thanks bro, I had a great time with you in Kalamazoo doing the three C's of life: chess, coffee and comics.

Posted by: Andres at August 25, 2003 11:53 AM

What can I say, I love my two little brothers. Even if you're not so little any more. ;-)

Posted by: Miguel at August 25, 2003 04:26 PM