A long time ago

We were the best of friends.
You’d follow me everywhere, your pudgy, waddling legs trying to keep up with me.
I’d race ahead, sure you would follow. And you did.

You wanted to do everything that I did. Wanted everything I wanted.
Your innocent smile making me give you all the things you asked for.
Because you were like my teddy bear.

We shared a room, shared all of our toys.
I was the one who protected you and explained things to you.
And you trusted me implicitly.

But when I grew up, grew older, I found new friends.
You didn’t understand why I didn’t want to play anymore, didn’t know how I could abandon you.
But I did.

You still tried to tag along, still wanted to do everything I did.
And I’d complain, pushing you aside, wanting to be a grown up on my own.
And so you learned to play on your own.

Those friends eventually went away, and I came back looking for you.
Came back looking for the place where I was at home, where I was loved.
But you were gone.

Because you grew up, grew older, and found new friends.
And I don’t understand why you don’t want to hang out anymore, don’t know how you could abandon me.
But you did.

And now there’s an ocean between us, between the doors to our bedrooms that remain shut.
A tsunami of misunderstandings and misspoken words.
That can’t seem to be bridged.

And now I find myself spending hours talking to friends and followers I’ve never met.
While you spend hours with TV characters you’ve never met.
And we never talk.

So now I wish I could take it all back, could go all the way back.
To the days when you weren’t just my brother, but my best friend
A long time ago.