I have been blessed that I have older brothers in my life. My oldest brother is Robert Melvin Cohn born in New York in 1922. Alvin Irwin Cohn was born in Long Beach California in 1927. Let me alert you now that neither liked their names especially their middle names and as all of us who know them refer to them as Bob and Al...that is except myself who calls them Bobby and Alvy, being their sister that is acceptable to them.
My name is Barbara Ann and their name for me was usually B.A. or Babs. To this day no one else is allowed to use those family names to me. Let me now tell you how great it was having brothers 7 and 10 years older than me. It was wonderful (most of time) because I had nothing to compare it to. I am sure that looking back and talking to my brothers that I was (not now) a spoiled little brat who got by a lot especially since I was the first girl born into the Cohn dynasty after 32 years. To be honest I didn’t know that fact until I was an adult because when I was 5 years old my aunt had 3 girls in a row so I think I was relieved of my being a princess. Well enough about me, now back to my brothers.
The following experience has been told to me at least 50 times and I have suffered every time I have heard it. Bob was 13 years old and was informed that he was to watch me while my mother went out--where? I don’t know. I was taking a nap in my crib and I woke up and somehow climbed out and found a scissors in the room and managed to obtain them and quickly cut off my beautiful blond curls almost all the way to the scalp without hurting myself. When my mother came home Bob was in the living room reading and completely unaware that I was awake and what I had done. Only if you knew my mother can you possibly imagine the scream she let out when she saw me and it does not even compare with what she said or did to my brother Bob.
I am writing this and sending it to him and begging him NEVER to mention the above again as there is nothing I can do or say. I am so sorry for what happened to him - Bobby I really do love you and beg you to forgive me for whatever happen to you -Your loving sister