Through the Tire

Look back on my life like the ghost of Christmas past,
Toys 'R Us, where I used to spend that Christmas cash,
And I still won't grow up, I'm a grown ass kid,
Swear I should be locked up for stupid shit that I did,
But I'm a champion, so I turned tragedy to triumph,
Make music that's fire, spit my soul through the wire.

-Kanye West

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Caleb strolled into the restaurant, two minutes late. He found his younger brother Abe already seated, wearing an Italian suit and sipping from a glass of champagne. Caleb adjusted his only tie and took a seat. He was five minutes late, and he had never been in a restaurant this nice. Spending time with his brother always served to make Caleb feel uncomfortable and out of place.

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The two brothers had lived in a middle class neighborhood in New Jersey. In their back yard was a tire suspended from a tree. Their father had hung the tire for the boys to play with when they were young. Had he hung it horizontally, with the hole facing the ground, there would be room for both boys to sit on the tire and swing together. Unfortunately, their father had only one rope, and the tire was hung vertically. With the tire hanging the way it was, their mother would not allow them to be on the tire at the same time.

Consequently, Caleb, who was taller, stronger, and two years older than his brother Abe, was always in control of the tire. Abe would sit on the ground and watch how many times Caleb would swing back and forth until the sun sank almost to the ground. Sometimes Abe, being an impatient eight-year-old, would ask Caleb for a turn, a request Caleb, being a stubborn ten-year-old, would always refuse, even if he wasn't having fun anymore. After a few turns of this, Abe would edge closer to the tire, and before it passed him by, would attempt to join his brother on the swing.

The end result of this was usually that Caleb, who was taller, stronger, and two years older than Abe, would keep swinging, while Abe would end up with a mouthful of dirt for his effort.

One day in June, Abe was sitting watching Caleb swing as he always did, when he made an offer. Abe bet Caleb that he could jump through the moving tire. Should Abe accomplish this, Caleb would surrender the swing to Abe on any request from then on. Should he fail, Abe would not bother him again. Caleb hopped off the tire, walked up to Abe, and shook his hand. The wager was made.

The sun's rays passed through the tire and onto Abe as Caleb drew it back. Caleb, grasping the tire, pulled it back as far as he could, and with a mighty effort, pushed the tire into motion, jumping back to avoid it as it swung back. Abe, ready to pounce, followed the tire with his eyes as it moved back and forth. One swing, two swings, three. Finally, as the tire returned from its highest point, Abe sprinted forward, planted his foot, and leaped.

He ended up with a face full of dirt as the tire continued to swing. For a brief instant, he had closed his eyes, but he now saw the look on his brothers face. He had made it.

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When they had finished eating, Abe called the waiter over for the check. As Abe reached for his wallet, Caleb began to protest, but Abe motioned for him to stop. In minutes they were parting ways outside the restaurant, as Abe hailed a cab and Caleb walked to his apartment, where he watched television until he fell asleep.