The Privilege of the Eldest

I was an oldest child. All y’all who have siblings know what that means. Oldest Child is a position that comes with built-in expectations — as well as privileges, in all fairness — from parents. I happened to have been the oldest of eleven, which may not make much of a difference in that equation, but I also happened to be my father’s favorite for a variety of very twisted reasons that are grist for another mill.