Sincethen,myliferevolvedaroundmybrother's.
Accompanyingmygrowingupwasalways"gooutandplayandtakeyourbrotherwithyou".
Icouldn'tgoanywherewithouthim,soIurgedtheneighborhoodkidstocometomyhouseforsomeout-of-controlkid-centeredfun.
MymothertaughtJimmypracticalthingslikehowtobrushhisteethorputonabelt.
Myfather,asaint,simplyheldthehousetogetherwithhispatienceandunderstanding.
IwasinchargeoutsidewhereIadministeredjusticebytrackingdowntheparentsofthekidswhopickedonmybrother,andtellingonthem.
MyfatherandJimmywereinseparable.
Theyatebreakfasttogetherandonweekdaysdroveofftothenavyshippingcentereverymorningwheretheybothworked—Jimmyunloadedcolor-codedboxes.
Atnightafterdinner,theywouldtalkandplaygameslateintotheevening.
Theyevenwhistledthesametunes.
Sowhenmyfatherdiedofaheartattackin1991,Jimmywasawreck,beneathhiscarefuldisguise.
Hewassimplyindisbelief.
Usuallyveryagreeable,henowquitspeakingaltogetherandnoamountofwordscouldpenetratethevacantexpressionheworeonhisface.
Ihiredsomeonetolivewithhimanddrivehimtowork,butnomatterhowmuchItriedtomakethingsstaythesame,evenJimmygraspedthattheworldhe'dknownwasgone.
OnedayIasked,"YoumissDad,don'tyou?"
Hislipsquiveredandthenheasked,"Whatdoyouthink,Margaret?Hewasmybestfriend."
Ourtearsbegantoflow.
MymotherdiedoflungcancersixmonthslaterandIalonewaslefttolookafterJimmy.
Hedidn'tadjusttogoingtoworkwithoutmyfatherrightaway,sohecameandlivedwithmeinNewYorkCityforawhile.
HewentwhereverIwentandseemedtoadjustprettywell.
Still,Jimmylongedtoliveinmyparents'houseandworkathisoldjobandIpledgedtohelphimreturn.
Eventually,Iwasabletoworkitout.
Hehaslivedtherefor11yearsnowwithmanydifferentcaretakersandblossomedonhisown.
Hehasbecomeessentialtotheneighborhood.
Whenyouhaveanymailtobepickeduporyourdogneedswalking,heisyourman.
Mymotherwasright,ofcourse:Itwaspossibletohaveahomewithroomforbothhislimitationsandmyambitions.
Infact,caringforsomeonewholovesasdeeplyandappreciatesmyeffortsasmuchasJimmydoeshasenrichedmylifemorethananythingelseevercouldhave.
ThishithomeafewdaysaftertheSeptember11thdisasteronJimmy's57thbirthday.
IhadapartyforhiminmyhomeinNewYork,butnoneofourfamilycouldjoinusbecausetravelwasdifficultandtheywerestillreckoningwiththesheerterrorthedisasterhadbrought.
Icalledonmyfaithfulfriendstohelpmakeitamerryandfestiveoccasion,ignoringthefactthatmostofthemwereemotionallydrainedandexhausted.
Insteadofthecustomary"Nogifts,please",Ishouted,"Gifts!Please!"
Myfriends—peopleJimmyhadcometoknowovertheyears—broughttheidealpresents:countrymusicCDs,asweatshirt,oneleatherbeltwith"J-I-M-M-Y"onit,aknittedwoolhatandacowboycostume.
Theeveningleduptothegiftsandthenthechocolatecakefromhisfavoritebakery,andofcoursetheceremonywasn'tcompletewithoutthesinging.
AthousandtimesJimmyasked,"Isittimeforthecakeyet?"
AfterdinnerandthegiftsJimmycouldnolongerberestrained.
Heanxiouslywaitedforthecandlestobelitandthenblewthemoutwithonelongbreathasweallsang"HappyBirthday".
Jimmywasn'tsatisfiedwithoureffort,though.
Hejumpeduponthechairandstooderectpointingbothindexfingersintotheairtoconductusandyelled,"One...more...time!"
Wesangwithalloftheenergyleftinoursoulsandwhenwewerefinishedheputbothhisthumbsupandshouted,"Thatwassuper!"
Wehadwantedtolethimknowthatnomatterhowdifficultthingsgotintheworld,therewouldalwaysbepeoplewhocaredabouthim.
Weendedupremindingourselvesinstead.
ForJimmy,thelovewithwhichwesangwasawelcomebonus,butmostlyhehadjustwantedtoseeeveryoneelsehappyagain.
Justasmyfather'sdeathhadchangedJimmy'sworldovernight,September11thchangedourlives;theworldwe'dknownwasgone.
But,aswesangforJimmyandheldeachothertightafterwardprayingforpeacearoundtheworld,wewereremindedthattheconstantloveandsupportofourfriendsandfamilywouldgetusthroughwhateverlifemightpresent.
ThesimplicitywithwhichJimmyhadreconciledeverythingforusshouldnothavebeensurprising.
TherehadneverbeenanylimitationstowhatJimmy'slovecouldaccomplish
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