An Interview With My Brother, The Tree Tracks

The Interview

Jonah: What do you want my readers to know about you?

Tree: That I love them.

Jonah: Ok.

Tree: In a completely non-hippie way.

Jonah: What has been the worst part of having a sibling with diabetes?

Tree: Parents getting worried about things.

Jonah: Worried how?

Tree: Uh uhhh. (that's a verbal shrug)

Jonah: Okay.

Jonah: Has there been anything positive for you about having a sibling with diabetes?

Tree: Probably. (Exhales loudly.)

Jonah: Like what?

Tree: Let's see. What is positive about having a sibling with diabetes, hmm..
Well I know things about diabetes now, and...
Hold on.
I guess in a way it's kind of nice to have a reminder about how life is all a gift and you gotta do what you can with it and be thankful for what you have and what you don't have.
And your health especially is not... you can do what you want with this factor or with that... but in the end it's up to to the Master of the Universe, the Master Healer regarding your health. And things like that. And everything else.

Jonah: How often do you think about diabetes?

Tree: Very rarely. That's not... Diabetes specifically, or? Specify your question. How often do I think about diabetes, or how often do I think that diabetes should not bother you?

Jonah: Anything related to diabetes.

Tree: About diabetes in general, I don't think about at all. About you and diabetes is a personal question between me and God and not public business, I guess.

Jonah: Does that mean I should erase that answer?

Tree: No, you can have that answer but I can't, um, my answer is that I can't, I'm not going to answer.

Jonah: What would you say to somebody who had just had a family member diagnosed with diabetes?

Tree: That depends on the person. It's a very vague question. Um. I mean. It depends what's the person's relationship with the person with diabetes, what's the person's attitude towards health and various things. I guess the generic answer would be, "I'm sorry to hear that."

Jonah: Anything else?

Tree shrugs.

Jonah: Okay. Thanks.

Tree: Glad I could help.