Cooper Brown: The Brother

Friday 18 February 2011 06:01 EST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Good news – I have been “cleared” of being sexist. Like I give a damn, but it makes my life easier for a while. Turns out that I am deemed to be “humorous” and therefore I can say stuff others can’t. Whatever, if they think I’m attempting to be humorous, all the better. I drove to the country today.

I couldn’t go to the main house, as I’m still in the doghouse with Victoria’s parents. I see Mulligan on the drive into the cottage. He’s carrying a long object wrapped in a carpet. I stop and tease him about carrying a body for disposal and that I hoped he’d finally gone and finished off my father-in-law.

He puts the thing down and unwraps it, to show me that he hasn’t killed a man. He is carrying a whole lot of rolled-up posters that have been in the potting shed for years and he has orders to burn. He spends most of his life standing by a fire burning things. Victoria said her friends used to call him “The Burning Man” when she was growing up. One of them got off with him at her 21st and it all got really awkward, as he got quite besotted and she was obviously not going to take anything further.

According to Victoria, he has never married or had girlfriends. This is an area that neither of us ever discuss – he tends to live his life vicariously through mine. We head off to the pub where I tell him more about the Prince Harry incident. He can’t get enough of it. I get drunk and ask him to be my co-driver on the rally. He accepts. What to do? Cooper Out.

Twitter – @icooperbrown

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in