My Brother, Ron

Today is Siblings Day. I lost my only sibling, my brother, Ron, on August 31 of last year. He died peacefully in his sleep, for which I am most thankful.

My normal way of coping with loss and grief is to write about it, but I was not able to do so. His death was so unexpected, I didn’t have the words for once in my life.

The first month was a nightmare of cleaning out his mobile home. I won’t even try to describe the terrible condition of his place. Several days the temperature neared 120 degrees—without air conditioning. Fires raged nearby, so the smell of smoke permeated the air, and the place itself stank. He hadn’t allowed anyone inside for several years, so even his best friends had no clue as to how awful it was. I wish I had known.

We located his medicines, and it quickly became apparent that he had not been taking them—no doubt contributing to his demise. He was still under a doctor’s care, having undergone prostate surgery several weeks before, so she was able to confirm his heart issues and diabetes.

I was thankful he didn’t suffer for a long time. He would have been a terrible patient and would have done his best to make everyone around him miserable as well.

Among his things, we discovered a spiral notebook filled with his handwriting. I knew what it was because about ten years ago, he told me he had an idea for a story. At the time, I asked him to send me a couple of chapters and said I’d edit them for him. He did so, and the kernel of an idea was a good one. He wanted to describe what life was like growing up in post-WWII Southern California.

I encouraged him to finish the book and promised I’d edit it and get it published. I never heard any more and assumed he had given up the idea. Yet, here was the notebook.

It contained only six pages―more of an outline and not a complete story. It was lacking details and development to bring the story to life. Fortunately, Larry also grew up in the same neighborhood and agreed to work on fleshing out and completing the book. (Ron never told us how he wanted it to end.)

Larry and I completed the book, and it provided the catharsis I needed. Larry designed the cover using an old street sign from our street Ron had acquired many years before. He modified the name to the name of the book. (Ron and I had agreed on the title when he sent the first chapter to me.)

Dominic Drive was published on January 15, 2021. The immediate response was terrific. A number of his friends commented on how they could “hear” Ron saying some of the words. I loved this because in some instances, I wrote them. Our goal was for his voice to be consistent throughout the book, and the comments indicated we had accomplished our goal.

You can read the reviews on Amazon, but some of the ones I received in letters from friends were even more meaningful. Here are a few. (I have removed spoilers.)

This was from my neighbor: “Lorna, I had to tell you how much I enjoyed your brother’s book. I just finished it and cried so hard at [the end. Charlie’s] character was so well developed that I felt close to him. I also enjoyed reading about growing up in a neighborhood much like mine, even though it was in CT. It is wonderful that you and Larry completed it. Ron would be so pleased.”

This was from a friend who is also an author: “Darn you, Lorna. I was supposed to be making dinner, but I couldn’t put the book down. Then I came to [the end] and I sat and ugly cried. What a heartbreaking (but probably predictable for the time period) ending. Now I’m going to the kitchen. Just wanted to let you know.”

A distant cousin in Canada wrote: “Hi Lorna, I just wanted to let you know I read "Dominic Dr." I loved the characters in this book. My own personal enjoyment came from reminiscing about where I was when certain things happened. JFK's assassination, I was 12 and Canada felt the shock and sadness as if he were our President. I was 15 when I went to Disneyland and I kind of felt like the family in the book took me on a tour. I was 17 when many families moved to British Columbia to avoid the draft...Vietnam. I loved the ending of this book. So many stories end and leave you hanging as to what happened with the characters, real or not. I loved reading a proper ending. Thank you sooo much.”

As I was trying to channel his voice in completing the book, I remembered the little boy I grew up with. I created this video about him.

I also created a video for the book.

So, today on Siblings Day, I share my brother with you. RIP, Li’l Bro.