Ames, Iowa 1994
"Is this really gonna work?" Gil's eyes stared up at me intently. I really wanted his birthday to be special.
"Of course it's gonna work!" I said, a playful smile on my face.
"You two are just gonna hurt yourselves," Donny said from beside the tree.
We rarely got out of the city. Gran and Gramps's house was up behind us, a giant hill in front of us. I held the kite tight in my hands. There wasn't a lot of wind, but I was determined.
"Alright, Gil. You ready?" I said, holding the kite out in front of me. Gil shook his head up and down frantically, holding the string.
"One, two, three!" we ran down the hill as fast as our legs would carry us. I let go of the kite, but it didn't fly up into the sky like it was supposed too.
I saw Gil's disappointed face as he looked at the fallen kite. "I'm sorry, little man." I said to him.
Gil walked over to the kite and picked it up. He ran back up the hill toward Donny, who's condescending smirk was insulting. "It's your fault!" Gil shouted in Donny's face.
"Whoa, little man, how is this my fault?"
"You said it wasn't going to work! You need to help me and Tia. You need to believe, Donny."
Donny stared down at our little brother as I made it back up the hill. He grabbed the kite out of Gil's small hands. "Fine, I'll help you fly the stupid kite. But I'll run it down this time. I'm faster than Tia."
We made to run down the hill a second time. "One, two...three!" Donny shouted. We took off. Almost reaching the bottom of the hill, Donny let go of the kite.
The wind held it for a few seconds. "Come on you stupid kite!" Donny shouted.
"Yeah, you stupid kite!" Gil shouted, copying his older brother.
At that moment, the wind picked up, heavy sending the red kite into the blue sky.
"Yes!" Gil and I shouted in victory. Donny just stared at the kite in disbelief. "I told you!" Gil yelled. "You just had to believe, Donny!"
We flew the kite for two hours when Gran called us back for dinner.