IT IS A SMALL WORLD

#21rp - I got a call to pick up soil samples from a geologist in Livermore and deliver them to an analytical lab in Concord. The soil would be tested for environmental regulations.

Welcome to Before I Forget . .

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IT IS A SMALL WORLD

The takeaway from this story is – When you come across someone with the same last name as yours, look into it further. You never know where it might lead, and you would miss out on what might come of it.

What are the odds?

The first of my relatives to America arrived in North Carolina from Scotland in 1802. By the Civil War, they had established themselves in Mississippi. They spread out from there and we lost track of many of our relatives.

Thirty years ago, I was a sub-contracting courier using my pickup truck to pick up and deliver all manner of goods throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

One morning, I got a call to pick up soil samples from a geologist in Livermore and deliver them to an analytical lab in Concord. The soil would be tested for environmental regulations.

Upon delivery and the signing of the chain-of-custody paperwork, I saw that the signer’s last name was the same as mine. I asked him, Ed, the owner of the lab, where he and his family were from.

Ed’s brother, Dan, from Colorado, happened to be visiting the lab and between us, we traced our origins back to North Carolina. Ed’s mother, Katherine, sounded familiar to me as a relative who knew a good bit about our history. Could it be?

Later that day, I called relatives and related the story. Turns out, names and places matched. Ed and I are 2nd cousins.

It is a small world.

Ed’s family is in Colorado, and mine is in Louisiana. We live in the San Francisco East Bay area. Neither of us get back to visit our folks as often as we would like.

We live 15 minutes from each other. Though awkward and slow to start, through the years we became closer, sharing holidays, get togethers, exercise, and camping trips.

We’ve had our ins and outs, not seeing each another for months on end, only to get together again as if no time had passed.

I would be the lesser for it had we not met. Ed is sharp, and hard working. His company is successful and continues to grow.

I find myself thinking, “Ed got the smarts, I got the guitar.”

I see similarity in looks and mannerisms. And differences. Perhaps no more than any family member one from another.

But we are in the same locale. And we’re family.

It’s very nice.

This post was first published on Jan 26, 2023.

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