Sister Once Removed

I'm half Italian. And as my dad would attest, that's all that's really worth mentioning. When I think back to all the family reunions and Christmas parties of my youth, I picture my dad drinking Scotch, speaking with the South Philly accent he has never been able to drop, discussing the enormous Italian family tree. In particular, he was normally arguing with relatives about the difference between second cousins and first cousins once removed.

It goes like this. Cousins are the children of brothers and sisters. Simple enough. If my cousin has a child, and I have a child, both of our children are second cousins. My cousin's child, though, is my first cousin once removed. A first cousin one generation off. Confused?

So tonight my dad passed through DC on his way back to Philadelphia from a golf trip in Myrtle Beach, SC. It may be the last time I see my dad until Thanksgiving. Or until he puts his money where his mouth is and buys a flight to San Francisco to visit me in my new home. Dad has done an excellent job at irritating me the past three months regarding my pending move. Examples...

1) Why would anyone live on the Left Coast when the East Coast is so clearly RIGHT? (Not funny)
2) It's just that it's realy annoying to fly places. You get there and have to rent a car! (I offered to pick him up at the airport but he didn't hear me.)
3) And it's also really annoying to check luggage at the airport. Have you ever tried to check a set of golf clubs? (No, I haven't, but you did it when you went to Scotland without complaining...)

But last night, as we were saying good-bye for a few months, my Dad didn't complain at all that I was moving so far away. He said he knew I was doing what I had to do. And that he knew I'd meet tons of new friends. And that I would be successful at work and in school. And that he is just generally very proud of me, his sister once removed. It was good to hear. Even after all these years of saying I didn't need to hear it, it's still good to hear that your parents are proud of you.

There were tears. But he then he told me I didn't have to cry. And he said that I have more balls than most men he knows.

Daddy's Little Girl. (Sister Once Removed.)