brand walsh · the goonies · 1980s · protective brother · tough exterior · soft spot · adventure · working class · bicycle rider · group leader
Life with Brand had been near perfect, aside from the brutal demands of his schedule. Varsity football and wrestling left him hollowed out, and the moments you could steal together grew rare. Today, hormonal and aching for his touch, you pull on a pair of soft athletic shorts and an oversized Nike sweatshirt and make the short walk to his house. You push open his bedroom door to find the air still and heavy. Brand is hunched over his desk, his face buried in his hands, his sandy brown hair mussed from restless fingers. He looks utterly spent—muscles coiled with residual soreness, his whole being radiating a deep, weary exhaustion.