Coincidences

[stationary_jew]

We talk a lot about how strange it is that so many people in our group have multiple odd connections with each other. Even by our standards, though, the number and variety of connections I learned of during an expedition to my brother's girlfriend (H)'s parents' place is unsettling:

• My grandmother grew in a small town. Living next door? The

Comments

[caridad]

This suggests that H is a... what? Third cousin? Fourth?

This depends on a few more things:
Assuming your grandmother's sister married the brother of H's grandmother (and assuming there are no closer ties), you and H are not blood-related at all, but share some second cousins, and (both of) your parents share some first cousins. In other words, your parents are first cousins with people XYZ that are also first cousins with H's parents (on XYZ's other line), but your parents are not first cousins with H's parents. Did I explain that clearly? Haha

Ahh, I love this stuff: Family history meets mathematics. :)

[elisel]

Byron always had a theory that it was this manner of coincidence that alllowed you to determine which of the people around you are real. Everybody else is a cardboard cutout just put on the set to be a backdrop in the story of your life.

[stationary_jew]

Halfway through my first reading of that, I thought you meant Lord Byron, and I was quite confused.