There once were two brothers, who were identical at birth. They sprung from their mother with identical eyes, lips, noses and hair. Each was born into the world to accomplish great things; their mother had thought. But these boys were no more similar than a diamond to spade. Although they were the same in every way; there could be no more differences between the two. As children they would play, sing loud into the night. As teenagers they would love and hate just the same. But their feelings for each other never, ever, changed.
Raymond was the older, by a minute or two. And Ronald the younger, who acted as such. Raymond had friends, more than anyone can count. While Ronald on the other hand was content being alone. The older of the two played football and smoked. Being younger of course Ronald stayed closer to home. There was no doubt though that they were brothers. Every picture, in every yearbook, looked exactly the same. Except for the year Raymond got braces. In every other shot, you could not spot the difference. But on the inside the changes were monumental.
These brothers hated one another like mortal enemies. They took out their frustrations on each other by playing practical jokes and pranks on one another. When Ronald was ten, and stuck in a tree, Raymond told their mother he had run away to the country. After being beaten for lying, Raymond of course blamed his brother. And hated him even more when Ronald told his friends he was from another planet. These pranks went on for their entire lives; through college even. It was the only thing that ever connected the two.
Years later, both growing old with age, Ronald was told a brain tumor would threaten his life. The doctors told Raymond that there as a slight possibility that he would lose all the memories of his tenure of life. The surgery was to be done within the month. Being the much more diligent son, Ronald created a scrap book of his life. He fashioned a book with pictures and stories, in hopes that he would recall something if the surgery went wrong. His life had not been much. He had lived most of his life alone, and had made no money to speak of. While working as a teacher, Ronald was able to save enough money to pay the surgery that would save his life. He had never planned anything with his savings, so he figured that living a little while longer was worth the investment. “You don’t die with a penny.” he kept telling himself over and over again.
Over the next three weeks, Ronald created a living memory of his entire life. The scrapbook was complete with pictures and captions that explained the moments he was a part of. All of his proudest achievements were in the little brown book. Graduating from college, seeing his nephew being born, and of course the trip he took to San Francisco when he was thirty. Needless to say, Ronald had never done anything exciting in his life; nothing of exclamation to speak of. He had tried at multiple points in his life to achieve something, anything, but all his failed endeavors left him more devastated than before. The little book that now sat on his dresser was the reminder of a life that he would more soon forget. But starting over at the age of eighty seemed too daunting to imagine.
Hearing of his brother’s misfortune made Raymond smile. “I’ll out live you, you little shit” he would always say to his minute younger brother. It was almost a life passion of his to outlive the brother that he hated so much. Passion is what defined Raymond’s life. He was as powerful and important as anyone in history. He had served in the military for numerous years, and a few investments early in his life made him rich beyond belief. He found it necessary to remind his younger brother of his success as many times as he could. When Ronald graduated from college, Raymond was graduating from an ever greater university. When his only son was born, he made sure that Ronald was there to feel alone. And when Ronald went to San Francisco for his one and only trip, Raymond was returning home from a tour of service in France. Raymond despised his brother and saw this surgery as a great opportunity for himself.
Promising his brother that he would keep the scrapbook safe during his surgery was the first step in his devious plan. Step two was to change every picture in the book and every word in the book to stories about his own life. He wanted his brother to wake up in a daze and think that he was a millionaire with nothing to lose. So his brother could be humiliated in front of everyone when Raymond exposed his masterful charade. This hoax would be is finest ever, and the cherry on top to a life of humiliation of his brother. He would go out as he came in, first and on top. He would never ever be topped by his brother, he thought. And if the plan failed and his memories remained; no harm, no foul again he thought.
On the day of the surgery Ronald was sitting alone in his room scared and nervous about the outcome of his procedure. He asked his older brother “Why are you here?” In response Raymond said, “Because I wouldn’t want to miss this for the world.” He was smiling as he spoke. When Ronald was under, Raymond sat in the waiting room and quietly laughed to himself. Hoping and praying that his plan would go off without a hitch.
Early the next morning, Ronald awoke from the surgery to find the scrapbook he thought he had made. After reading it once, twice, over he exclaimed to the world “This is great news!” Raymond stood smiling and started to laugh. The look on his brother’s face was burned into his mind. This would be his crowning achievement and the slap in the face his brother deserved, he thought.
The next day Raymond received a call from his brother. He told him that he wanted to spend some of his millions and go on a trip around the world. Raymond held back his laughter as he spoke. “It’s your money little brother.” So then Ronald was off and gone for a month. No one knew where he went or how he got there. No postcards came, or even a call. It was as if Ronald had disappeared from the world. This angered Raymond as he felt betrayed by his own prank. He needed his brother to return home so he could fully and who heartedly humiliate him. But Ronald never came home.
A month later Raymond received notice that his brother had died while on holiday in the Islands of Hawaii. Raymond was sad. Not that his brother had died, but that his final prank would never be revealed. No description of the plan would ever suffice. So Raymond hung his head and went on with his life.
Not a week later did Raymond receive two parcels in his mailbox. The first was a postcard from his brother from Hawaii. The letter had been sent the day before he had passed away. There was no script on the letter, simply a small crudely draw smiley face. The second letter from the credit card companies, asking for a mister Raymond Coleman to pay his dues on a twenty thousand dollar expense made within the last month. His eyes grew with water as he looked at the letters. He quickly realized that his brother had played such an amazing prank on him. Understanding that even on his death bed, his younger brother was sharper and more cunning than he could ever be. He laughed and shed a tear. He thought to himself “I must have taught him well.”
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