I had a rare opportunity to chat briefly with George Bush Sr. recently while he was boarding a helicopter, and over the roar of the chopper asked him how his kids were doing.

"They're doing very well", he replied, "quite well, and I must say I'm downright proud of them both".

"Understandably so", I responded, "but how's Neil?"

"Jeb?", he shouted out amidst considerable background noise, "he's doing ok and and he's been working long and hard on that punch card thing."

"No! Neil! your son Neil!"

"Laura's doing fine too", he replied, "George is just pleased as punch to have a good woman like her with him in the White House".

"Yes, I'm sure he must be" but Neil! N-e-i-l. How's Neil?", as dust kicked up around me from the rotating chopper blades.

"I can only say that I count my blessings every day for having been given such two fine sons" said the former President, holding his hat and disappearing into the ascending whirlybird.

So there went George, and about the only thing I can report about Neil was his family vacation in El Gouna, Egypt last year which incidentally seemed a bit more important to the Egyptians who actually noticed it than to anyone here. (See "Tour Egypt, Monthly" Vol. II No. 8). Well, you can say he's just the President's brother but my hunch is El Gouna is a story, a lesson and a moral -- if you can find it.