Smitty was always better at keeping a straight face than Ronnie was, so he was really good at fooling me.
But Ronnie was pretty good at it, too.
Truth to tell, I didn't mind at all.
Sure, it was a bit embarrassing when playing pool with buddies in the Navy, trying to get away with a move and finding out it wasn't legit.
Or playing spades and learning that there was nothing special about certain card combinations.
That's when I would realize that my brothers' "rules" had been made up on the spot so they would win.
Good times!
Even in this photo that I took today, with that little smile on his lips and in his eyes, Smitty looks like he's about to play a prank, but he wasn't.
He was just posing in the Williams Seafood cap that his younger son, Tyler, had just bestowed upon him.
Maybe he was smiling about Savannah being a small town.
After all, I had just told him that my high school friend Josie was married to Kenny, the grandson of the family that had owned that once-famous Wilmington Island restaurant.
Yeah, that was probably why there was that grin.
I'd gone there to gather the sales tax data for April, as it's due this month, and ended up with the data for May as well.
Tyler was there to get the Jeep out, as the weather has warmed up nicely again.
Smitty cut me a check to cover the charges from Families First, to keep my credit card from gathering interest, so that added one more stop to my chore list.
First, I went to Walmart and returned the shorts I'd bought Ronnie, the ones he'd never even had a chance to look at.
The line at the customer service counter was daunting, but moved briskly, so that went without a hitch.
Raindrops were falling on my head as I continued toward the bank, to make the deposit.
That's when I became aware I'd been punked.
That check he'd given me was just fine.
The problem arose when I tried to deposit this bill along with it.
Mind you, when I'd found it in Ronnie's back pants pocket, wadded up and surrounded by singles, I'd been shocked.
How on Earth had someone given that to him?
Even in the tattered and dirty state it was in, it was still a Benjamin, and there was no telling how long he had carefully carted it around.
I'd tossed all the currency into a soapy bath at home, to soak off the dirt and smell.
This bill had separated into three pieces, so I'd taped the shreds together and hoped for the best.
Maybe I would use the hundred-dollar bill to buy a dinner for his kids...
or so I thought.
But the bank clerk had barely looked at when she'd told me it was a fake.
See those hot pink markings?
See the placement of the serial number?
See the lack of holographic image on the right?
Yeah, well I hadn't.
The bank clerk had been quite kind when she pointed out the details.
It was paper 'money' given to children to play with, she told me.
Very funny, Ronnie...
you got your Sister T real good with that one!
Right?
(smile)
He got me twice more, too.
I'd taken the eyeglasses back to CVS to return them.
Just as I was getting out of the car, I looked to make sure I had the receipt in the bag.
No, no I did not, it was just not there.
Drats.
To home I went, hoping it was on the dining table.
No, no it was not.
Had I placed it into the recycling bag?
No, no it was not in there.
Drats.
Then I saw a piece of paper under the far end of the table...
and there it was!
Placing it into the bag with the wares, off I returned to CVS.
When time came to return the charge to my debit card, that's when I realized that the third joke had been played on me today.
Not only did I not have that card, I didn't have my driver's license, either.
Both had been left on the dining room table.
Very funny, Ronnie!
You got me good with that one...
but I was still able to cross that return off my list of chores.
The store just gave me a gift card with the return balance on it.
Nice to know you're doing well, brother mine.
Glad I could bring you a chuckle or two today.
Love you, boy.
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