That's how we always mentioned them.  They were a trio, much like the Three Muskateers.  All for one... and one for self... er all.  It wasn't exactly like "John&Gloria" where we never mentioned them separately but whe we talked about them in general, it was, Johnny,  Michael, and Scott.

I spent a lot of time with those guys. We had Monopoly tournaments that lasted a week.  We played cards... Johnny is the one who introduced me to "52 Card Pickup".  I didn't fall for it but he tried anyway.  Somehow that glint in his eye told me that it was something fishy.  We walked the washes behind their house and explored new construction.  I find it interesting that there wasn't any vandalism.  There was tons of new construction.  We knew we weren't supposed to wander around it so we were careful not to damage anything.  It was just fun to see the "bones" of a house before it was neatly covered in stucco and drywall.

But games were huge.  We played Sorry, Life, Monopoly, and video games on their "Atari".  You know, exciting things like "Pong".  We ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and sent the player piano spinning with "The Entertainer" on the roll. 

They talked about baseball.  Man those boys knew their baseball.  My parents were football people so I didn't know much about baseball.  Eventually, after pouring over thousands of baseball cards, I decided that the Yankees were my team.  I loved their uniforms.  My cousins shook their heads in disbelief and disgust.  I think Michael was a Padre fan.  Scott liked the Dodgers.  I don't know who Johnny liked.  Maybe he didn't either.

At night, I'd sleep on the floor between their beds and they'd ask for Bible stories  I never knew why they asked.  I didn't think they believed them but every time I came, they asked.  I told them about Noah, Joshua and Jericho.  I shared the grizzly story of Jael and the beautiful one of Mary.  They seemed to prefer the Old Testament heroes like Jonah over Jesus with the fishes.  I sang songs that I knew from church.  Everything from Father Abraham (the inane thing) to Miriam's triumpant, "I will sing unto the Lord" from the miracle at the Red Sea.  Those boys loved Moses.

Those boys are deeply rooted in my heart. I had hours of fun with them.  I spent more time with them than any of my other cousins and my memories show it.  Just a few more hours of Connect Four, Lord.  I'd love just a few more hours.