Those who know of the Austrian Empire (Kaisertum Österreich) almost certainly know its flag. It consists of two bars - black top, yellow bottom. It's an uncommon pair of colours to find, and even less common to consider (although the song "Black and Yellow" may have some influence). At most, an article may have one colour with a splash of the other. Pairs probably more common to envision would be 'black and white,' 'blue and red,' 'red and yellow,' 'blue and green,' etc.
I was introduced to this 'Austrian Empire pill' at the hospice in which my sister was residing at the time. Perhaps its introduction into her daily medicine was due to a fever, but somehow, I've forgotten the exact circumstances. However, the black and yellow pill stood out among the other boring, murky pills - it was the largest and most brightly coloured. While one could make the argument that there are French pills and Dutch pills (red, blue, white) the white often looks dirtied.
Perhaps it should be noted that age and status are often times irrelevant. I am the older adult brother. She is the younger teenage sister. But I am the one screaming in excitement about this 'Austrian Empire pill' while she, by gauging my reaction, has deduced that I could only be referring to the newly introduced black and yellow pill. She knows nothing about the Austrian Empire, but she is exasperated by my juvenile enthusiasm. So she allows me to ogle and take a photo, as though I'd just met a celebrity. She never really understood from what I derived my enjoyment of life - but neither do I.
Somehow, nothing really mattered while I danced with glee and she wondered how I even functioned. The sister, who often did all sorts of 'girly' things that caused an older brother to raise his eyebrows, would herself guide that brother like a parent pulling a babbling child along. The brother, who rarely smiled and pondered his sister's positivity in confusion, would himself confuse that sister with his inexplicable liveliness. All from a black and yellow pill.
