Facebook message shows how small world is

It was just after 9 p.m. I was messaging on Facebook with my friend, Dania, when Lisa, a friend of Dania, jumped in with her own message. Here is our unedited exchange. (Last names omitted.)

LISA: Saul — are you related to Henrietta ?

SAUL: Yes, I am. She is my aunt!

LISA: My aunt too!!!!

I’m her great niece!!!! Her sister was my grandmother!!!!!!!!!!

LISA: HI COUSIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DANIA: This is absolutely amazing!

SAUL: Hey, Dania --- Can you please step aside for a second?!? This is a private conversation!

LISA: LOL ... We are cousins through Uncle Sam then!!

SAUL: So, Lisa, we are cousins?!? Yes, Uncle Sam! Sam Goldberg, right???

LISA: No .... Sam Schachter.

SAUL: Oops ... We’ve hit a bump.

LISA: LOL — Now what would be even funnier is if we WEREN’T cousins but had all the same names.

SAUL: It’s very possible. Who was Henrietta married to?

LISA: Sam Schachter. He was a doctor. I feel sad now.

SAUL: Nope! My Aunt Henrietta was married to Herb. They lived in New Hyde Park. Herb was the brother of my father, Melvin.

Both men are gone, but Aunt Henrietta is living, though with dementia.

LISA: Awww .... I’m sorry to hear that. My Aunt Hen passed away some years ago. She was fabulous. We are now ex-cousins .... LOL

SAUL: So, I won’t be seeing you at Passover then???

LISA: Sadly, nope.

SAUL: Well, to paraphrase the line in “Casablanca,”: “We’ll always have Dania!”

LISA: That we will!!!

SAUL: It was nice meeting you!

LISA: Same here!

SAUL: Dania: You can come back in now.

DANIA: But now I must spend my night researching genealogy to see if you are distant cousins.

SAUL: Yes, there still is a chance! Never say never!

Reader Saul Schachter lives in Sea Cliff.