My father once gave my son a recording of a silly country song called "I'm my own Grandpa". A little ditty about a man who marries his son's step daughter. Nothing compared to what follows here....

This story centers around my sister in law's new neighbor Donna. We went to Linda and Nick's (my wife's sister and her husband) for New Years Eve and met Donna and her husband Bob.

Rita, my wife, was asked to bring her high school year book because, apparently, she and Bob went to high school together.

Now Donna and Bob moved in right next door to Linda and Nick. On the other side of Donna lives Annette and Al. I know Annette from church and she was instrumental in getting me to become a lector at my church. Now, she knew Donna's mother because they went to high school together. So Annette didn't just get a new neighbor, she renewed an old friendship.

Now around the corner from Linda and Nick and Donna and Bob and Annette and Al live the Barone family. As it happens Annette also went to high school with the Barones. And so did Donna's mother! So one day, Annette called Chris Barone and said "Come over I have something to show you..." The "thing" turned out to be Donna. So now the Barone's also have renewed an old friendship. And then as Bob is talking to the Barones, he finds out HIS mother knows them too! Unbelievable so far, right? Stay tuned....

Now my wife and I were introduced (matched up) by my cousin Fran. Fran was married to Jimmy. We lost Jimmy to a heart attack and cancer and agent orange about 3 years ago. Jimmy spent 3 months in the Veteran's Hospital with Rita's father and thought that I'd make a good husband for her. So we were introduced. Now hold on.. there IS a point here... Fran's sister is Jeannie. Jeannie is married to my cousin-in-law Tony. Tony and his twin brother Nick, grew up with Annette's husband Al! So Annette also knows MY family without having to be Linda's neightbor!

It gets weirder...

So we are sitting around the table on New Year's Eve hearing this tale about Annette and the Barone's and Donna's mother and Donna mentions that she came from Brooklyn. I came from Brooklyn, so I ask her where in Brooklyn... she says East 46th street Between Avenue D and Clarendon Road. I said "You're Kidding! My cousins Fran and Jeannie came from East 46th and Avenue D... did you know the Serpe's?" (Fran and Jeannie's maiden name)

Donna said "Sure! There was my family, and next door the Barones and across the alley was the Serpe family!"

Donna's clan grew up with my cousins! The ones that know Annette and Al and who introduced me to Rita without whom I wouldn't be at Linda and Nick's for New Years Eve! And the name Serpe kept coming up all night. (By that time it was all too ridiculous!) By the end of the evening I was sure I would end up my own first cousin!

Or maybe "... my own Grandpa!"

Oh... proof that the Internet is finally Silly..... There is a Web site: WWW.CHEEZWHIZ.COM