Requiem for a Brother.

Camel Reds, fast cars, and an undeniable smoothness that screamed Rock and Roll. You were the epitome of cool, and I emulated every single move you made. Your vocal inflections, the way you walked. Hell, I even had a pack of candy cigarettes rolled up in my sleeve. I wanted to be just like you. But still waters run deep, and the outward appearance betrayed the truth lying below the surface. Dad was a mechanical genius. An angry, volatile and unpredictable genius. But unfortunately, dear brother, you bore the brunt of his anger. None of us escaped his wrath, and we all carry our scars to this day. But the medicine you chose to numb the pain became the prison you couldn’t escape. I know you tried, and I hold no judgment. I just hope you find the peace and love in the next life that you so desperately searched for in this one. Rest in Peace, Frank Edwin Ledgerwood Jr.