... but this one rates a blog post!
I have an uncle, Uncle Matt to be precise. He is my dad's youngest brother (which makes him mid-60s as he's more than 10 years younger than dad would be) and I can remember him visiting when I was little. At one point, he thought he had a calling to the priesthood ... was even in seminary down in Camarillo, CA. But God had other plans for this guy.
I remember one time he came to visit ... riding a Harley ... and gave us all rides on it. This uncle was way cool! He worked for TWA and lived in a camper in their parking lot in LA. This uncle was way cool! He was the first guy I ever saw wearing huarache sandals ... this was in the late 60s in California. This uncle was WAY cool!
I remember after my Grandma died, I finished an afghan she had started for Uncle Matt. I was in 5th grade. He loved that blanket!
He never had kids of his own ... we rarely saw him ... and yet the memories of the times we DID see him are still very fresh.
A year ago, I had the joy of seeing him for the first time since Dad's funeral back in 1995. Uncle Matt had aged ... but he was still the cool uncle he'd always been.
He frequently sends me jokes or notes or "cocktail tidbits" (since you never know when you'll need to make small-talk!) all via email. Some are cute, some just goofy and some not worth the ether used to carry them to me.
Occasionally, he sends a real "pip".
Today, here's the email he sent:
I'm just hoping I NEVER shop at that particular store!
... if someone (no matter if it is a wonderful, loving, special SIL) gives us a substance with a name like "flarp" ... slip it back into her bag before she leaves. Or at least grab it before 5 year-old son gets a hold of it.
... 
