i don’t know if i can relay this in anyway that will make sense, but i will try my best.

Last night, my cousin Donna called and asked if I was sitting down.
not a good opening
Donna proceeded to tell me that her brother (also my cousin, tho’ I won’t always admit to the blood connection), Andy called and told her that an old family friend’s husband called him to tell him of an odd phone call he had just received.
got it so far? it get’s worse
Mag’s husband (the old family friend) told Andy that some woman called asking for my mother, Lillian. Now, my mom died suddenly badk in 1989 and none of us have ever fully accepted this basic fact of life. Mag’s husband told the woman that the only Lillian he knew died many years ago. The woman claimed that this was not possible because she saw her in Las Vegas and she looked just fine.
ok then…we have a mystery here
So Andy asks Donna if she still speaks to me. ‘scuse me? Donna says, “Of course I still talk to Linda” whereupon Andy says, “Good, then you call her.”
so she did
My first thought was that someone had stolen my mother’s identity. I was also worried that someone might call my dad asking for my mom…maybe as part of some sort of scam on poor, confused old men.
but…
The Mag factor made no sense. Mom was never really associated with Mag. They knew each other mostly through my aunt and uncle. They didn’t travel in the same circles. In fact, the only thing they had in common was that they were both tiny, black-haired Italian women. So, why would anyone call Mag to find mom? So, a few days later, I called Mag to find out first hand what had occurred, since, well, my cousin Andy isn’t known for his listening skills.
so, here’s what happened
Mag was visiting her 89 year old aunt at Bryn Mawr Rehab at the same time a woman from Las Vegas was visiting her friend. This woman apparently used to live here and either knew mom or was a customer of her’s back in the 60s. After Mag left, they went over to Mag’s aunt and asked after the woman who was visiting her. They may or may not have asked if the woman was my mom, but Mag’s aunt has alzheimer’s so she just looked at the list of phone numbers she had and gave them Mag’s. So, it appears that this was a case of mistaken identity, not a stolen one.

I wonder why my cousin, Andy isn’t speaking to me anymore?