The Dark Lords

here are many ways to be beaten up in a large family especially when you have an older brother who thinks he's Attila, the Hun. Most of my fights started off by me just being me. For example, I once beat my older brother in a basketball game, and I paid the penalty: two thrashings in a five-minute period.

Walking down the hall was also a dangerous proposition in the Neeley household. One could meet the dreaded Martha, Attila's evil sister. Martha's favorite weapon of choice was not a right cross or devastating uppercut. It was a doll named Peaches. My sister walked the halls, holding Peaches by the hair, and without any warning, the beatings would commence. She would jump on her prey, grabbing his hair. Yes, it was hard being a younger brother in those days, and I always watched my step to avoid problems with the two villains.

Continued...