the day i was born - another gaspar story

i was hoping that someone (anyone) would respond to the last post. but just because you expect or want something to happen, doesn't make it so. now i am trying to think of what to write...

in part because i can't think of anything else, and in part because i like to begin at the beginning, i think i will share another gaspar story - this one is about the day i was born. keep in mind that this story has been retold so many times that i am not sure how many steps removed it is from a truth. but it is the way i tell the story.

it was august in new york city and because we lived in an apartment building with a pool on the roof, my mother went up there to cool off. she was nine months pregnant with me, which put gaspar at 2 and a half years old. at the time, he was what is known as a hyperactive kid. so much so that he had something like a body harness/leash. my mother, mistaking him for a dog, tied him to the leg of a table hoping he would stay put. it was only moments before he busted away and jumped into the pool where he found (perhaps to his surprise) that he could not swim. my mother, being pregnant and whatnot, was unable to quickly jump in after him, but was relieved when someone else did. needless to say the experience left my mother quite stressed and tired.

later that evening my mom was resting supine on her bed. like most very pregnant women her feet were somewhat splayed out below her massive belly. my brother, catching sight of her from the other end of the hallway started to charge toward her like a bull (the little kids i have told this story to love this part and refer to the story as a whole as 'the time your brother was a bull'). when he reached the foot of my mother's bed he didn't stop - he finished the charge with an authentic headbutting right into mama's belly with me inside.

i was born later that day.

i don't know exactly in what ways, but i think this first introduction had an effect on my relationship with my older brother.