Six Degrees, Schmix Degrees...

tell me, does it happen to you? you come home and you say to your mother you met someone called joe. or you get off the phone and she is looking at you expectantly and so you say or that's my friend joe. and then she always asks, oh joe who? and you always think, really mom? you think you REALLY know everyone that i know? but you want to test her and you are all oh joe bloggs. and she is all oh, is he peter's son? you know, peter from the u.n. and you are thinking? seriously mom? we chatted about our favourite drink and maybe pretended we were a bit deep by discussing global warming and recycling. do you really think i asked who his dad was? so then she gives you that look and then you have to pick up the phone to call or text message to ask "ummm, so joe is peter your dad?" and joe is all "how did you know?" and you have to tell him how your mother claims she knows him. and then she shouts from the kitchen "it's not a claim. i know him very well." and maybe they went to school together. or were in college in the same area at the same time. or they met at a meeting last week.

and you realise that there is no mystery in your life. you wonder if you'll ever meet a stranger. and yet you breathe a slight sigh of relief because at least your mother will be able to tell you if the word about town is that he's an axe murderer.

oh but i digress. so last night we got to bed in my cozy apartment (where one really can have no secrets) and then she says - do you know? and goes into this discussion of some kind of family and friends tree and i am barely listening but i say yeah, why? and she says well i spoke to this young woman and she says she reads your blog. and i am lying in my bed wondering if my mother is talking in her sleep. but then she says, yes, her name is tjidzani. if i could jump, i would have jumped out of bed. she really does know everyone.

no way! how small is this world? i have to blog about this, i told her. and she responded - ok. and what exactly is blog?