Warrior Life, Spring/ Summer 2021

Page 38

RECONNECTING BY CHANCE GRIEVING FOR SIBLINGS LOST AND FOUND Written by Gary Kohatsu

S

Illustrated by Lauren Hadnot

ince childhood, I have longed for a brother. Somebody who would retrieve my baseball throws, climb trees with me, catch matinees located at the Venice Fox Theater and share my love of yo-yos and comic books. Marc and I were about the same age, 11, and of different ethnic backgrounds. He was Spanish Algerian. I am Japanese American. He spoke English and French. I spoke only English.

However, we shared similarities: both of us wore glasses, he was raised Roman Catholic and I was a Jehovah’s Witness — but neither of us was very religious. We both had a sister, found espionage fascinating and had crushes on Angela Cartwright from “Lost In Space.” Our families had both just moved from Venice

38 Warrior Life

Beach, meaning we had been neighbors all along.

From 1966 to 1971, Marc and I walked or bussed miles to and from Carnegie Junior High and later, Banning High. So much of our lives were intertwined that I think we strongly influenced each other’s behavior and development. In those youthful days, he introduced me to astronomy, Pentax cameras, science fiction writing and Moody Blues music. I encouraged him to join me on the cross-country team, indulge in UFO theories and make voice recordings on my tape recorder. I tried to like everything Marc liked. I think he did the same for me. The power of brotherhood can be life turning, as noted in a 2012 manuscript by authors Susan McHale, Kimberly Updegraff and Shawn


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LEARNING FROM THE BEST

5min
pages 66-67

HARNESSING MY SUPERPOWERS

3min
pages 68-69

GARDENA CINEMA

1min
pages 54-65

A QUIET BATTLE WITH MYSELF

4min
pages 98-99

TOP 5 SPOTS FOR THE BEST TAMALES

2min
page 97

BRINGING THE HEAT

13min
pages 90-96

ENLISTED AND CONFLICTED

3min
pages 88-89

FINDING HER ROOTS

12min
pages 80-86

TOP 5 BIRRIA SPOTS

2min
page 87

THE AFTERMATH

3min
pages 78-79

FROM WARRIOR TO PUNK ICON

15min
pages 70-77

SETTING RECORDS

10min
pages 40-45

HE WON’T BE DRAGGED DOWN

10min
pages 48-52

RECONNECTING BY CHANCE

4min
pages 38-39

TOP 5 RETRO VIDEO GAME STORES

2min
page 53

CHOOSING TO STAY

3min
pages 36-37

MOVING INTO A NEW LANGUAGE

5min
pages 46-47

INTERNATIONAL BAKERIES

2min
page 35

TOP 5 TORTAS DE CARNITAS AROUND EL CAMINO

2min
page 11

KEEP THAT CHIP ON YOUR SHOULDER 14

2min
page 18

REMEMBERING A LEGEND

12min
pages 28-34

A HELPING HAND

10min
pages 20-25

BROWN AND BEARDED IN AMERICA

4min
pages 12-13

THE FACES BEHIND COVID-19

4min
pages 26-27

TROUBLE AT SEA

9min
pages 6-10

ALL UNDER $20 FOR THE FRUGAL FOODIE

2min
page 19
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