Level Two. Awkward.

Level Two. Awkward.

By Michelle Lloyd.

Life was all about the variation, and this was a lesson that had been well brought home to R V. Having a baby brother was awesome in many ways but then… in certain ways of which R V knew quite well, it could be slightly less awesome and a bit down right awkward.

There had been smelly, belly gate, the incident which had despite what many people thought led to R V taking the blame for some serious spillage on the bib department. Learning how to feed baby brother Dillon had been nothing in comparison to getting Dillon to adapt to the spoon in mouth scenario rather than all down the Baby Grow. Then, there was all the naming, shaming and claiming of the list in broken toys, embarrassing noises and even occasional furniture damage experiences.

Basically being a big brother had not, at times, been all that R V had thought that it was cracked up to be and taking the blame did not always result in the happy truth will out endings that he had seen on TV.

Life had definitely become more awkward since the arrival of little Dillon. At his school stage performance, R V had been looking forward to his parents watching him, as he took centre stage and recited his efforts at poetry. It had all gone well, up until that last moment when it had been his turn and just as R V had been about to let rip, his brother decided to let rip in one of his own rather humiliating ways…

That little incident had put pay to his parents being able to stay in their seats and instead they had to rush out with a messy Dillon in tow. R V had been beside himself with awkwardness, but what could he do?

Another time at an animal park, Dillon in his baby antics mode had threatened to throw his half full beaker at a member of the wildlife display team and that had nearly got them all banned from the centre. Again, what could he feel but the awkwardness of the situation that was now his life, wash over him.

Instead R V had let the feelings of embarrassment about his brother build and build, all he could think about his sibling situation was thoughts of distress about his predicament. In going out, even for the shortest of times, they would need to take a barrage of items and clean up equipment. It was like going on a trek in a military prepared for mission, instead of a short trip out and baby Dillon’s awkward moments were the cause of it all.

The situation was not a happy one and it was only getting worse…that was, until the day of the football match. R V had been enrolled in an after school sporting event and he had been practicing for the day of the match. Finally, when it came to the time of the most important game, R V had felt proud to be put in a primary goal scoring position. All of his team mates were encouraging him to do it, he was himself primed for the winning score but deep down, he was worried that despite his parents being there to witness this epic moment of glory, Dillon would go and do something embarrassing that could cause them to miss it. There was nothing for it though and R V had to go ahead and make for his winning move.

It was that for a few minutes there had been utter silence. As the ball went flying through the air, soared past the energetic but not quick enough goalie and then landed at the back of the net, nobody exclaimed a thing. There was looks of happiness on his parents faces and as R V tried to take the full excitement of the moment in, he kept expecting Dillon to do something awkward but it was that to his chubby, baby sized arms as they lifted in glee and his gurgles of adoration and pride for his brother that he was drawn to the most. It was little Dillon who raised the roof, if indeed there had been one, with his wails of delight and screeches of pride. He started off the happy chanting, clapping and R V felt moved beyond words by his little brother’s clear admiration of him. It made him so happy that the subsequent display from little Dillon, even though it was a bit on the awkward side, did nothing to subside his love for him.