Brothers Bother Eric Chung

Feet. It’s 6:30 in the morning and I wake up to the sight of ten mini-sausage toes. Exasperated, I recount last night’s struggles trying to sleep with my little brother at my side. First came the turning upside-down. He had a habit of gradually rotating when he sleeps so that his feet end up where my head is and vice versa. Then, came the inevitable harsh grinding of teeth. This was accompanied by his small, overheated chubby body pushing relentlessly against mine. “William, get back on your side. Oh my God!” I threateningly whispered. But every time his response was more grinding of his teeth or the occasional snore: a clear cut dismissal of my futile efforts to wake him up. He shoved without pause, until my poor body was flung out of the bed. Annoyed, I would walk around to the opposite side, but like a magnet attracting another, I would feel his body come rolling right back at me.

Sleeping beside my little brother every time we travel is one of the most frustrating experiences. However, through these ordeals, I gained two very vital characteristics: patience and determination. These qualities did not come easy. Night after night, it would have been so easy for me to wake my little brother up and tell him to go back on his...