My Other Brother

Gary Gene Campbell was born December 14, 1959 in Hutchinson, Kansas. I'm not sure if he was born on a sunday or monday. I do remember on that sunday night Dad introduced us to the "Wizard of Oz". It was broadcast on television and I remember how excited Dad was for us to watch it; in black and white of course. I also remember waking later in the middle of the night and hearing the wind blow outside. In the morning Dad announced that Gregg and I had a new brother.
Gary lived a little more than 7 1/2 years. This year would be his 50th birthday. How fitting with Gary's birthday near Christmas that some of my memories of him revolve around this time. On Gary's first Christmas Mom and Dad gave Gregg, Gary and I candy cane pajamas; shirt, pants, stocking cap all packed neatly in a candy cane stocking. Don't we look cute in the picture?
The next Christmas we lived in Springfield, Illinois and Gary would have been about two years old. He had the habit of wanting to take his clothes off. He could get everything off except his white shoes and socks. The house we lived in was big, old and not very warm, especially during that winter. It may have been Christmas night that we were in the living room watching "Sing Along with Mitch" (?) When what to our wondering eyes should appear....but Gary, riding a toy jeep, pulling a duck that he had got for Christmas. You guessed it, he did not have any clothes on except for his white shoes and socks.
One Chrismas Eve in Lebanon, Mom and Dad went to some friends Christmas party and left me to watch my brothers Gregg, Gary, Scott and Mark. They would not be gone long, but asked me to put my brothers to bed. For some reason I put us all to bed in our two twin beds. As we were laying in bed Gary asked if there was really a Santa Claus. "Of course", I said. Gary replied, "Then Santa is almost here cause you can see Rudolph's nose". Sure enough when I looked out the window there was a red glow in the dark sky.
"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night." -30-