Once upon a time there lived a nice Jewish family named the Millers.  They lived in a nice suburb with a nice home and respectable jobs, and raised their children with values.  They had three sons: Ben, Josh, and Zack.


The Millers were a very well-known and respected family.  Everyone knew “you could trust a Miller.”  The boys were always proud to be introduced as Millers.


Ben, Josh and Zack grew up and went their respective ways.  Their 20’s found Ben volunteering in Rwanda, Josh in NYC in a prestigious accounting firm, and Zack finishing up college.


One day Ben gets a text from his dad.  “Trouble with Josh.  Call soon.”


As soon as he can, Ben calls home, only to discover that Josh has been implicated in a financial scandal and will probably be going to jail.  His emotions range from anger, to denial, to embarrassment, to rage, to sympathy for his parents.  In Rwanda, he is questioned by his peers about the news they are hearing about Josh.


“Is it true??  A Miller?  What’s the deal, dude?”  Some seem to be gloating over the fall of the “prestigious” Miller legacy with its “sterling reputation.”  Others just want the dirt, to satisfy their curiosity.  All are sanctimonious, that “it would never happen to one of mine.”


So Ben texts Zack.

Ben: what is going ON???  Is this true??

Zack: yeah… true.

Ben: how did this happen

Zack: don’t know, can’t reach Josh

Ben: deadly embarrasing

Zack: miller name and all

Ben: are u getting a million questions

Zack: um… YEAH!!

Ben: what are you telling ppl

Zack: that he’s not my brother

Ben: WHAT

Zack: anyone who could ruin our family is not a brother

Ben: dude… you can’t divorce your brother

Zack: is he acting like a brother?? did he think of us when he threw our family name to the gutter

Ben: I hear ya but he’s still your bro

Zack: i didn’t choose this brother

Ben: did you ever notice you can only divorce those that you chose

Zack: what are YOU telling ppl

Ben: that yeah, he’s my brother

Zack: and…?

Ben: and he made a big mistake

Zack: and…

Ben: i still love him… a brother’s a brother

Zack: do you really still love him

Ben: believe it or not… yah

Zack: how

Ben: do you even know what love is

Zack: duh

Ben: love is when you identify someone by their good stuff

Zack: youre a poet

Ben: cmon… we all have good stuff and bad stuff

Zack: hmmm

Ben: ppl who hate you identify you by the bad… see the good as secondary.  Ppl who love you identify you by the good… see the bad as secondary

Zack: like mom and dad

Ben: like all moms and dads… you think Saddam Hussein’s mom hated him? she identified him by his good

Zack: um now what might that be

Ben: ask her!!

Zack: dude.  don’t u think it would be better for our fam to deny he’s a part of this fam???

Ben: not the point.  a bro is a bro.  we stick together… always.  got it??

Zack: ur not thinking of the whole fam

Ben: actually, i feel like i’m the ONLY one who is

Zack: i’ll think abt it

Ben: thx…gnite

Zack: gnite