"Hey Charlie, what's up?" Don came downstairs into the basement to find Charlie going through some cardboard boxes.
Without looking up, Charlie said,"Just a little spring cleaning. Dad wants to get rid of some old
junk. We're going to have a garage sale, so if you have anything you want to get rid of, bring it over and we'll sell it."
Don started rooting through a box. He pulled out a photograph and started laughing. "Hey, check this out!" He held up the photo-a picture of Charlie, as a baby, with food all over his face."Weren't you just the cutest little thing!" Don teased.
Charlie turned beet red."Give me that!" he yelled, trying to take the picture from Don. Don laughed and held the picture above his head, out
of Charlie's reach. "Come on, Don! Give it to me!" Charlie begged, laughing in spite of himself. Then he got an idea. He started rooting through the
box.
"A-HA!" He held up a picture of a two-year-old Don in the bathtub with a bubble bath beard. "Wait until everyone at the office gets a look at this!"
Don dropped the picture he was holding."You wouldn't dare!" he said, making a grab for the picture.Charlie laughed and hid it behind his back. Don tackled Charlie, sending them both to the floor and knocking over another box.
Don started tickling Charlie until finally Charlie yelled,"Okay,okay! I give! Uncle! Uncle!" He handed Don the photo.
Alan came downstairs. "What's all the racket? You're supposed to be cleaning, not playing."
He started to clean up the mess caused by the brothers' rough housing.
"Hey, it's your babybooks!"He held one up."Here's Charlie's." Alan sat down on the bottom step. on
and Charlie joined him.
"Why did I have a baby book?" asked Charlie. "I thought you just did that for the firstborn."
Alan laughed. "Your mother and I didn't want you to feel left out. We had no way of knowing the amount of attention you were going to receive." Alan
flipped through the book. "Hey, I remember this!" He turned to Don. "You should too, you were six at the time."
"Time of what?" Don asked. Charlie was already blushing.
"Charlie's first word" answered Alan.
FLASHBACK
Alan smiled as he watched his infant son Charlie play with a stuffed thing(Alan had no idea what it was supposed to be) in his playpen.
Six-year-old Don was lying on the floor, coloring a picture with his crayons. Rose, the boys' mother had gone to the grocery store. She had been
a little wary about Alan looking after the kids, but he convinced her she'd have an easier time at the store WITHOUT a six-year-old and a baby in
tow.
Charlie looked up from his toy. "da, da," he said.
Alan went over to the playpen ."Did you say da da? Your very first word! Wait 'till I tell mommy!"He picked up Charlie, who immediately started screaming. "What's wrong Charlie? Why are you crying?" Alan asked, rocking his son.
"da,da," whimpered Charlie, reaching over Alan's shoulder. Alan felt a tug on his sleeve. Looking down, he saw Don.
"Why is Charlie crying?" Don asked.
"I don't know." answered Alan.
"Bet I can make him laugh. Charlie, lookit me!" Don began making funny faces at his brother. Charlie started giggling. "da,da" he said happily,
reaching out to Don.
Alan finally got it. "He's not saying 'daddy' he's saying 'Donnie'!"
Don stopped making faces and looked at his father."Charlie knows my name?" he squeaked.
"He sure does." said Alan. Very gently he handed Charlie over to Don."Be careful now" he warned.
"I will" Don promised. He looked at his brother. "I'm your first word Charlie? That's so cool!"
PRESENT DAY
Both of the Epps brothers' faces were red with embarrassment. They were also trying very hard not to laugh. Finally Charlie managed to say,"You must have
got a big kick out of being my first word."
Alan laughed. "He sure did! Bragged about it for WEEKS to anybody who'd listen."
Now Don's face was REALLY red. "We should finish cleaning up." he muttered.
The End