Donnie, 46

While I haven’t seen those photos in years, some details remain forever etched into my memory. It was a cold, fall day and I remember worrying if the thick white and red onesie Tiffany wore was warm enough. I know I was cold in my shorts, Members Only jacket, and Stan Smith Adidas. As for Nicole, unfortunately everyone remembers mostly what she did, but nevertheless it’s a memory I will always cherish. I hadn’t seen Nicole in months and it was the first time I had met my eight month old niece, Tiffany. Growing up in the eighties, fast food was everything and nothing was bigger, or cooler than McDonald’s. Back then their menu was so compact all of its items were included in a popular commercial jingle everyone knew by heart. Also heavily featured in their television ads was the eponymous clown, Ronald McDonald. I yearned for an opportunity to meet Ronald McDonald. When I was ten, he finally made his way to a local franchise. By that time I was not as interested as I might have been a few years earlier. However, two of my little sisters were with us and I thought they might enjoy it. From a distance everything was fine, but when it came time to get up close and personal with Ronald for photos my two-year-old sister, Nicole, had other ideas. She didn’t cry, protest or otherwise make a scene. She just sat quietly on Ronald’s knee while I stood nearby holding Tiffany. Little did I know Nicole’s protest was to be a silent one. Her disapproval was seen when she proceeded to wet Ronald McDonald’s leg. Being the true professional he was, Ronald took it like a champ and continued greeting families as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Meeting Ronald was sort of our first bonding experience as siblings. I look forward to many more. 📸 Donnie’s