Quite Literally

So, my brother, Erik, is quite literal. I forget this sometimes, the way that I forget that he has developmental delays (I think that is the new politically correct term for his issues).  I know that seems like a dumb thing to forget, but I'm his sister.  I don't see him as brain injured, I see him as my wonderfully annoying little brother.  Who just so happens to be 5'10, 32 yeas old, and functions with a lower than average mental capacity, and is one of the funniest guys I know.

cool dude, right?

What I'm saying is that I forget that Erik has these little quirks, until said quirks slap me upside the head.  The way he takes things literally often takes me surprise and reminds me that the nuances of the English language are vast.

One time I asked Erik to get me a little glass of ice water.

He brought me a shot glass filled with an ice cube and a teaspoon of water.  I politely sipped it and he politely refilled the shot glass 1,042 times.

That's just how we roll.

Our three older kids were staying for a week with my mom and dad, and in passing I said, "Erik, let me know if anyone causes trouble."

I got text messages the ENTIRE week:

Laurel is screaming because she does not like chicken. It hurts my ears.
 
Kiley and Laurel have been upstairs fighting and screaming all morning. It's not gonna stop.  They are definitely too young to go to Jesus Prom in November with me.
 
Spencer Michael is definitely upset because Mimi said no more Disney channel.  Disney channel definitely has rude talk and lots of cursing going on.

I no longer ask him to let me know when the kids are causing problems. Clearly, Erik and I have two very different definitions of the word 'problem'.

Last week Erik had come to stay with us, along with my mom, for a couple of days.  Everyone was sitting around the living room when I got home, and our older girls had some friends over. Teenage friends, which means that my husband was on especially bad behavior.  I walk in the room, and my dear husband shouts, "Whoa!! Somebody turn the air down, it is HOT in here!"

Teenagers politely giggled, I gave the obligatory eye roll, then we all left for a play.

I got a text message that night:

WOW! The house was getting colder and colder. I went and looked and someone had set it at 52 degrees!

I couldn't stop laughing. I had this memory of Erik jumping up from the couch and dashing out of the room during Lee's sophomoric rant.

Lee did say it was hot.

Erik did take care of the problem.

Quite literally.