Conversations With My Brother

I have no trouble talking to my mom on the phone to keep in touch when I’m away at school, but my brother is a different story. He’s the type of person that is only good to talk to on the phone if there is a specific reason for calling and sees absolutely no need to make “small talk” when there is an awkward lull in the conversation. Most people have a general sense of when it’s their turn to bring up a new subject in a conversation or prompt the other with a question, but my brother has absolutely no qualms with one-word answers and shrugs. He also has zero interest in my life, all of which make phone conversations with him very difficult.

Our conversations over the phone usually go like this:

Me: Hey, how’s everything?
Brother: Good.
M: Yeah? How’s school?
B: Busy.
M: That sucks. Lots of homework?
B: Yeah.
M: Things good with your friends?
B: Yep.
M: How’s Mom?
B: Good.
M: Tell her I say hi, okay?
B: Okay.
M: How are the dogs?
B: Good.
M: Well… I’m glad to hear everything is good with you. Take care, okay?
B: Okay.

Color me surprised when I called home yesterday and we talked on the phone for two hours! No, that is not a typo – we did talk for two hours. I don’t even think I’ve talked with my mom for that long on the phone! As much as I loved properly talking to my brother, I know that this two hour conversation is a one-off. No doubt that next time he and I talk, it’ll be back to those one-word answers…

Cross-posted from breakthesky.net. Please leave any comments there.