Midge Baby
My Silent Keeper
Kevin Harter
My brother could hardly say a word, but he taught me the meaning of strength and compassion.
My brother, Michael Patrick Harter, was born in Hollywood on December 1956, one month before his due date. Doctors told my parents that just because he was premature1, the would take some time for Mike to catch up.
However, six months after the birth of Mike, a nurse saw his slow mental and physical development. It was more than a small disabilities, told them my parents. He was delayed, and he had cerebral palsy. Overwhelmed, my mom and dad went to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota in Spring of 1957, looking for the kind of medical miracle. She believed that the clinic doctors performed but they could not do anything for Mike, nor could they ever fully explain why he never lost baby teeth never grew larger than about 30 inches and never weighed more than
lbs. They were treasures, but he would not live to see his 12th birthday.
In May 1958 I was born in Austin, Minnesota, a blue collar Links of London town surrounded by cornfields. I was healthy and grew too big and fast.
As a boy I have learned to feed and clothe Mike. As a teenager, I baby-sat my "big brother" and learned dosage6 of the right medicine to the attacks that caused him to stiffen and prevent shaking.
My favorite picture us on the steps of our new home, wearing red baseball hats and smiles toothy8. I'm standing next to Mike and Midge between us, a Pomeranian9, and Happy Hank, a bass ¬ set10 hound11. Animals understand Mike. If other children drew our dogs' ears or tails, they would move out of range or snap12, but never with Mike. And if the dog thought he was in danger, she always came to his defense.
Mike was special things he loved to hold and play with: a yellow rose, a small flag, a pinwheel13, wind chimes14. The ideal was to Mike to sit near the window with a bowl full of M & M's15, sunshine streaming down his face.
Many people said that he would never walk or talk, and should be institutionalized. He has never learned to walk, but he has learned to talk – not flawless or even complete sentences, but he had the base down. If he was hungry, thirsty, happy or sad, we knew. Cake. Cookies. Candy bar. Water-water. Cry.
He knew names, too. I was Kagun, not Kevin.
But that changed when I grew a beard during the summer before college. Family members said it was ugly. The name stuck.
"Look who's home. Who's that?" they said Mike. "Ugly" he would react, and squeal17 with joy.
All of that was normal for me, because he was the only brother I knew. The only time I thought the differences between us when others reminded them. A look at a restaurant, pointed a finger at the street, a comment from another child in the playground, or rubber-necking18 gawks of foreigners at the fair.
Its effect on some people was special, however. Big, tough men crumbled when he smiled, giggled and winked20 to them. One in particular, a bear of The man already on the wrong side of the law more than once, always asked him. He would often give Mother a few bucks and tell her "Get something for the little guy, will you?"
For everyone who took the time Mike and softened butter in the afternoon sun.
My circle of friends widened when I entered high school. One day Mom asked or my new friends would be a problem seeing Mike for the first time. "If Mike can not agree, they do not accept me and they are not welcome," I said.
And if I do not think of him as different, I never thought about him not die. That changed on a warm evening in the fall of 1975. I had my first links London varsity football to start. We won, 7-6, and after the game, I celebrated with my friends at local hang-out22. The phone rang and I was called.
"Do not worry, everything is fine, do not rush home," said my mother, "but Mike had a seizure and was hospitalized. "
This first attack, Mike's life begins to fade. His immune system is defenseless. And intensified his attacks became more frequent. His bones would break with little damage. His lungs often filled with fluid.
When his arms grew weak and his life flickered23, Mike lost the power to lift a rose, and the resistance to sit through an open window. Like the flowers he loved, Mike was too frail to stand a ruler.
As his health faded and college took me away, Mike would show his disapproval of my absence by pouting25 ignoring me and when I came back. My biggest sin was growing up and moving. Perhaps it was then that he realized there was a difference between us.
By the end of his life, the promise of spring was near, but Mike do not make it through yet another hospital stay.
A struggle with squeezed pneumonia26 quiet life from him. Mike sent in and out coma27 on March 15, 1983-Dad's 50th birthday.
As if he knew the importance of the date, he fought for one day. Michael Patrick Harter, just 26 years old deceased at sunrise the next day
Mama's arms, Daddy around, surrounded28 by those he loved.
I have a few things in Mike's the casket to be buried with him. My favorite picture of us with our dogs, a bag of M & M's, a stuffed animal and a radio.
We had never that big, soul-searching discussions about women other brothers, religion, work, parents and Vietnam. We never played catch, talked about our dreams or a double dd for homecoming or prom. I was older, maybe one day marry and have children, but Mike was an eternal innocent.
It has been 13 years since he died, but each year in one way or another, I find new meaning in my life because of Mike. He taught me compassion and strength. He taught me respect for those less fortunate than myself. And He taught me an appreciation of beauty in the simplest things.
Children who come into the world with a mental or physical disabilities are considered by some abnormal30 be. Others may regard them as the children of God to choose. Mike was one of those.
Physically and mentally I was my brother's keeper. Mentally, Mike was and is my a near-silent keeper soulful angel.
About the Author
Buying Links Of London as a holiday gift does not have to be a stressful thing to do.
Who do you think should have ended up married in Archie comics?
I know who got) married Betty (lawyer – Single Veronica (Duchess of Russia) – Jughead and they have two children, Reggie, Archie Cheryl Blossom (Doctor) – Ethel (model) Moose, Midge and I know for a fact that mr.andrews getting married a 20 yr old and he and Archie have a boy on the same day. It really messed I wanted Betty-reggie-Juggie Ethel Archie and Veronica, and Midge elk
it's been a while since I read a new Archie … but had not think it was so long ago ….. I missed all that? hmmm … and here I was just saying that they should not reveal any future marriage …. would ruin the whole triangle …. although a run where Archie-Betty, Midge, Moose, Reggie, Veronica (Veronica, Jughead and once) years ago ….
Baby Bunny Midge & Max the Cat
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