Six Degrees

My friend Lysa likes to comment on the "Six Degrees of Michelle Bailey". And, I do have an awful lot of weird stories connecting people I've known throughout my life. For example:

1. When I was a pizza delivery person in Provo, I once delivered a pizza to someone "Udall", told them my uncle had married a "Udall" and found out that my aunt and uncle were also his aunt and uncle. He thought she was just as whacko as I think she is. In a good way, mostly, but I was glad he said it first as she was his blood, not mine.

2. Another time in college, I was chatting up a cute visitor to a ward function, only to find out he was my 2nd cousin. (In my defense, my grandma was the youngest of 17. I have a LOT of 2nd cousins that I don't know)

3. A lady in my ward in San Jose was from Snowflake, AZ, and had my college boyfriend's mom as a Mia Maid advisor.

4. The same boyfriend's mom had a painting in her house that looked very similar to one my mom has. Checked the signature and it was painted by the same lady, a schoolmate of my mom, who was apparently living in Snowflake at the time. The Institute choir that I played for sang in Snowflake the same summer, and that lady came up to me and said, "You MUST be Joyce's daughter!"

5. A family that we had never met or even heard of, stayed with us for a couple of weeks as they were relocating to our area from Mississippi. (The bishop asked if we would, which we did with trepidation, but they turned out to be wonderful people). As I was talking to the Dad about what he does for a living, he mentioned the school where he earned his PhD. I had a friend I grew up with who had earned a PhD in the same field at the same school. When I mentioned her name, he just laughed and laughed. He definitely knew her. Considering all the places that girl has lived, it was amazing.

6. I was Visiting Teaching Coordinator for a Relief Society president in my current ward for over a year before I found out that she was from my mom's hometown. Her mom had gone to high school with my mom, her mom's brother was married to my oldest cousin and she got engaged at my uncle's house at a pool party. We had been attending ASU and ASU Institute at the same time, and as far as we know, we had never met. Although, as toddlers we were probably both at the wedding of the aforementioned uncle.

7. Sam was giving a talk in church once, and afterward was accosted by an old missionary companion of his that is apparently a brother in law of a friend of ours here. He was visiting and recognized the reference to "the skydiving story" and said "Oh, THAT Sam Bailey, I know him!" Ok, I guess, technically, that's Sams story, but....

8. I went to High School with Mark, Cherie and apparently, Dan. I've known Laurie's family since we were kids. Met Sam in college and didn't know he was Mark's brother until I went to Sam and Julie's wedding. Now, they are all my in-laws. Not to mention how I ran into Sam again after 15 years, which is a strange story all it's own.

This week I get my weekly email from my missionary nephew, Taylor, who is in the Sacramento Mission. Here is an excerpt, complete with his usual lazy caps and punctuation

"well as expected the baptism was amazing! it was probably the most powerful baptism i have ever been to. ...his uncle gave the most amazing talk on the Holy Ghost and did so by acting part of it out. ..as i began talking to grant's aunt she mentioned that they had lived in mesa and come to find out her husband, Brother Perkins started the Mountain View Seminary [where Taylor went to HS]. if thats not crazy enough for you check this out... she also said that he was seminary prinicpal at Marcos de Niza [where I went to HS]. so i mentioned that i thought Aunt Michelle went there and he says "You mean like Michelle Elsberry?!" and i was like "what? are you serious?" so Brother Jerry Perkins says to say hi. i cant believe it still. so the old saying of "if you talk to a fellow saint, in 20 mins you will know of someone in common" applies here."

I should mention that his mission president is an old missionary companion and still good friend of the Jensens, good friends of ours who just left to be mission president in Ohio.

I was going to list just a few examples, but as I was writing, a bunch more popped into my head. Lysa says it's never happened to her. Although that's not EXACTLY true; we did find out one enrichment night, as we were telling dating horror stories, that a new lady in our ward had dated the same weirdo she had. But, I told her that it's tougher for converts from New Jersey. When she's been a member for 20 or 30 years, it'll start popping up.