they drew lots

My brother died peacefully in his cabin in the summer of 1993. Not long afterward I went with my sister in law to help clean out the place. She asked me if there was anything I would like as a rememberance, and I said yes, I'll take that abstract painting on the wall. No one really knew where my brother picked it up, but he was constantly stopping at flea markets and antique shops all over western New York. I often tagged along with him on these junkets when I was single.  My brother was fifteen years older than me so he was probably more of a father figure than a brother. And he was a lawyer and a judge so by being with him for all those rides into the country I began to think like a lawyer. I learned to debate and I engaged the scocratic method albeit...through osmosis. But this painting really threw a curve at me. It was so unlike everything I thought I knew about my brother. It defied method. It went contrary to the law of his personality. And that's probably why I wanted this painting, it added to the mystery of my brother's passing. It's funny that I never asked him about that painting while he was alive...I saw it so many times before. But that day when Dorothy asked me if I wanted anything, I made no hesitation. Immediately I wanted this painting to remind me of this abstract and mysterious life we live. And you know what, it makes me realize, that I'll never ever get all the answers. Even after sharing so many moments with my brother Al...who had most of them.