Today is the Day of All Days

Twenty three years ago today... a blood brother, Charles "Chuck" Adams Thompson (pictured foreground) was born in the sprawling metropolis of Memph!s, TN - self-proclaimed Home of the Blues and Birthplace of Rock n' Roll. But definite home of Elvis.

Unfortunately for this brother, there already existed two blood brothers by the same family name Thompson, birthed by the same mother Tempe Thompson (although, by the looks of both, some would claim adoption). And even more unfortunate for Chuck, the beat him senseless from Day 1. Mercilessly and senseless. Until he was down to nothing. Then Big Mike Thompson stepped in and reminded the older brothers and Chuck how he himself was the younger of a few blood brothers.


"Chuck," he'd say, "I know what it feels like... I won't let it happen again."

"Big Mike," the older bloods would reply, "We don't really care."

Big Mike would immediately rebut, "You call me Big Mike again and you'll lose all sense of worth on this Earth!"

"Hey, that rhymes!" they'd reply

Well, that was the end of that. And us.

I digress. Truth be told, greatness is hard to follow. Believe me, being the white lard between two chocolate wafers, I know this. The top wafer makes the rules. The lard follows. The bottom breaks the rules. In the Thompson family case, the top was and remains great and makes people around him great. The middle, well, he just makes people fat and disgusting. The bottom - he's the greatest. He makes people greater than great. Everyone knows this. The older brothers just never told him this.

Eventually these older brothers realized even more greatness within Chuck. Heck, he wasn't part of the greatness. He was the bottom support. The stable weight of it all. The one the older brothers down at, but look up to. The piece you pick out and use first to make the double decker triple angus burger with cheese (in the older brother's case). The base of greatness.

Here's to you, Chuck. The Thompson Brothers really do love you.

Just remember though, twenty three years ago, you were breathing from a tube. Don't think we can't bring that tube back.