Cally Wheeler's thoughts on Al as a brother

Late as I am to the Al blogosphere, I have the advantage of having read everyone's wonderful reflections before I write. This is, if I may say so, a remarkable family, and as a collective, a fitting tribute to Uncle Al. But reading my cousin's thoughts, I realize that I had a very different experience of Al. Perhaps, this is because for Kate and I, it was Erma who graciously offered the "fireside chat", life-checkup format- sometimes even unsolicitedly if you can believe it.

So my experience of Al was much simpler. While I remember his warmth and enthusiasm for us acutely, I most admire him in his role as a brother. Al and Erma were in cahoots, I think it is fair to say, for their whole lives; and they held court over every fourth of July and family event in between. I can remember walking through Erma's kitchen door many times and seeing her in her blue chair with her feet up, and the phone to her ear. Most people would get ousted off the other end of the line pretty quickly, upon the entrance of a grandchild, but I remember the conversations with Al would go on and on, sometimes she would say they had talked for hours at a time. Most Al updates from Erma inevitably transitioned into her showing a melodramatic long face, followed by her recollection of how her little brother had tormented her ceaselessly as a little girl... I believe the name "Wormie Ermie" made a lasting impression. Childhood woes aside, I think they took wonderful care of one another, and I am so grateful that Al whisked Erma away on their adventures in Panama and Alaska in her later years. I don't know where their particular mix of humor, loyalty, brutal honesty and sincere open-heartedness came from, but I am proud to see it exemplified in their offspring.

And so we beat on, backyard wiffle ball stars, hamming it up for the camera, ready to offer total candor to the next generation of Allens, already in our midst.