My Cousin Dennis

Tonight I sit here thinking of my childhood. I grew up in southern California with my parents, my older sister and my younger brother.  All our family lived on the east coast except for my mom's oldest sister and her family. Auntie Barbara, Uncle Bill and their three sons Dennis, David and Donny.  They lived in the same town as We did. There aren't many memories of my childhood that do not include my cousins. 

I remember how cool their house was.  There was this side patio made out of cobblestones. I used to sneak out there and try to pull out the prettiest stones from that patio. I wonder if Auntie B ever knew that?  They had a play house in the back yard past the pool that was two stories. We played in there all the time. We were a family and my sister and Dennis always got to be the parents because they were the oldest. The rest of us had to be the kids.  It was the neatest house ever; but my aunt and uncle had it torn down. Something about it not being safe.  Regardless of the safety, I was so sad when that was gone. 

I remember holidays at their house. It was marvelous. Auntie B used to make celery sticks with peanut butter and some with cream cheese. I like peanut butter and cream cheese but NOT celery. I wonder If Auntie B ever knew that?  With four adults and six kids there was inevitably the kids table. We had to sit there all the time. It was really the coffee table and it was kind of in the other room so that was neat. I remember a time when Cheryl and Dennis got to go sit at the grown-ups table because.... you guessed it, because they were the oldest.  God I was so jealous.  

My dad would say, when you're the oldest you can..... whatever, sit with the grown-ups, be the parents when we play, sit in the front seat of the car.  We stupidly would get excited for when we were the oldest, never realizing that we'd never be the oldest.  Well, in January of 2013 my whole world was turned upside down with the horrible unexpected death of my sister Cheryl.  

A few days ago all our worlds were turned upside down again with the tragic, unexpected death of my cousin Dennis.  The oldest are both gone. Getting to be the oldest is nothing like I had imagined as a child. It sucks. 

He was always the oldest, always the cutest, my cousin Dennis. I looked up to him. I loved him. I hated him.  We played together and had fights (he always won because he was the oldest).  He always had the most beautiful smile and the kindest heart.  Dennis grew up to be a fantastic father and grandfather.  He was a brother and uncle.  Like his father before him, he served us all when he joined the United States Navy, eventually retiring as a Senior Chief.  He is an Iraq war veteran.  The  world will never be the same now that Dennis is gone. 

Rest in peace, my dear cousin.   I will alway imagine you up there, sitting in the front seat with Cheryl, your dad driving.  May you always get to sit at the grown-up table.  You will be in my heart forever.  I love you.