My brother Marvin was an habitual whinger.
We had both agreed that neither of us was getting any younger and so this opportunity to tour Europe was one we both grasped with two hands.
So when on the first day in Italy Marvin began to whinge about carrying the backpack I began to wonder just how grateful he was.
Admittedly there was a little weight in the pack but that was necessary when you consider the health we both shared. Heart problems, kidney problems, enlarged prostate, dicky knees, arthritic hands and Marvin constantly complained about a sore back.
After all I had paid for the trip the least he could do was carry around the backpack for at any moment either of us may be in need of the life preserving goodies inside.
So from one tourist spot to another it was a constant battle as my ears had to endure his never-ending prattle about one sore bit then another.
He was always stopping to rest. Marvin I’d say to him how are we going to get around all this historical stuff we have to sit down every five minutes?
He’d drop the bag at my feet and glare at me. Then he’s start. The pills, the vitamins, the sun block all those he could stomach but it was the full oxygen bottle that he most was at odds with.
I tried to explain to him that if he suddenly developed emphysema he’d be right until we got him to the hospital. His argument was he’d never had emphysema or anything to suggest it so why bring it.
I’d look Marvin in the eye and say: Marvin you’ll thank me when we have cause to use it.
So he grumbled his way around the tourist spots of Europe into every church they said was worth looking at, wandered the crowded streets and rode the water taxi in Venice where he did admit he was tempted to ditch the back pack over board.
It was my best ever holiday. Marvin vowed never to go anywhere with me again. Though I guess he did have a point to prove. You see when we left home on our trip Marvin was six foot seven and by the time we arrived back home he was a bent over five foot six.
Written for: http://channing.info/wp/2015/09/07/kreative-kue-41/
Morpethroad 
You got all of that from those two guys in a photo of 15 people? Michael, you never cease to amaze me 🙂
Its the weird way my mind works Lyn….
So my questions are: what’s “whinger/whinge”? Is the story true? And is that a picture of you and Marvin? I did enjoy the tale.
No it is NOT me…lol….a whinger is a person who complains all the time, I think you guys call it whining….thanks for enjoying my tale…..
Ahhh, I kinda thought it must be like whining, but it doesn’t hurt to check. I really loved the story, because even with all the complaining, it was described as a wonderful vaca shared by 2 brothers who must love each other deeply!
On my recent trip through Europe there were four brothers and their wives on the trip. They decided they wanted to share one memory together as another brother had died and another was ill and couldn’t go so the four ‘healthy’ ones made the trip and had a great time.
Brings tears to my eyes.
It was lovely to see actually and they were lovely people…
It’s nice when people realize the importance of taking an opportunity–we never know if we’ll get another.
I thought it was a true story till I read your comment above. 😄 This story is so sweet. Love the good relationship between the brothers.
Thank you so much, all my stories have some element of truth about them….
Apart from the heart and kidney, I think you modelled Marvin on me. Except for the constant griping, of course (and the height). You have really drawn something special out of this image, Michael. Great job, and thanks for taking part.