My Brother Jeff

Jeff always did things first. At times I considered his advantage something that was obviously unfair. He went to school, drove a car, flew in a plane, met our favorite band, served a mission, graduated college and received a graduate degree, all before I did. And this was just because he happened to be born before I was. With less than two years separating us, it seemed there should be some chances for me to do something before he got the chance. Now that Jeff turns 50, I’m happy to let him lead the way. As they say, “First is the worst.”

While there are many areas where Jeff gave me a great example, the value of a quality education certainly stands out. Jeff was a persistent and determined student and always strove to do his best, even when he had already satisfied what the teacher or professor might have expected. He always did what he could to do his best and he benefitted by earning an education that allows him to meet his needs and bless others all the time.

Jeff’s pursuit of education did not interfere with his ability to have fun; sometimes he would blend pleasure and learning. It’s no secret that Jeff identifies Styx as his favorite band. As a teenager, Jeff learned that a friend of a friend had obtained backstage passes to the concert. He used all of his charm and budding negotiation skills to get that pass. Unfortunately, he was only able to obtain the one pass and I was unable to join him while meeting the band.

Before a subsequent concert, we made a banner declaring Styx as #1. Jeff was able to maneuver us into a situation where we were on the first row, and it didn’t even require him removing his shirt. Because of the prime location, Jeff was able to get this banner into the hands of the band. My memory holds that Dennis DeYoung took the banner and thanked us as he commented on the quality of the sign.

During these concerts, the band made reference to a “backward masking” controversy invented by individuals who feared rock and roll was a tool of the devil. They alleged that the song “Snowblind” contained a secret message: “Satan moving our voices.” Realizing such a claim makes no sense, Jeff hooked up a recording device to his phonograph, played the questionable lyric backward and discovered that the phonics of the lyric when sounded backward, together with the instrumentation, caused the following sounds to emerge: “Steak’em mooveeeahh vosetch.” Using this discovery, Jeff created a presentation that he and I used in school settings to dispel the rumors of these backward messages.

Jeff has always been first, but never the worst. While some associate turning 50 with doom and gloom, I simply wish him the happiest of birthdays and look forward to following him for another 50 years.

¡Feliz cumpleaños, hermano mío!

Brent