Well that only took 20 years (27 of 30)

Ever since I moved here in 1990, people have asked me, "Are you related to Harold?" and my standard answer has been, "I think so... I think we are some sort of cousins, but I have never met him". Well - that changed today.

To back up: Many years ago, apparently, my Grandpa Pippus had a big fight with his family, moved away from here and never really saw them again. Then, oddly enough, my Dad had a problem with his dad, so even though my Grandpa Pippus lived in Moose Jaw for several years, I never knew him. I vaguely remember seeing him - once. Then, even more oddly possibly, my dad left and I rarely talk to him. All that to say - our "Pippus family ties" are mostly undone.

Harold Pippus worked in the parts department at "Dinsmore Dodge" in town here for years, but somehow (though I often feel like I know everyone in town) I never met him. His brother, Walter stopped by the church building one time (he saw my name on the church sign an wanted to try to figure out who I was... oddly enough he lived in Calgary at the time and had a son Tim Pippus who worked with a church there). Anyway, through Walter we sort of figured out that we were "First cousins once removed" (he is my dad's cousin). Harold, though, was still like Snuffleupagus - people said he existed but I never saw him.

Well the other day Bob Goud told me that he saw Harold working at the Co-op gas station. Apparently he had retired from the Dodge dealership and needed something to fill in his days. That got me thinking that an older man that I had never met before filled my truck the last time I was there, so I started to wonder if that was him.

Today, I found out. This older man filled my tank and when he came in I asked him if his name was Harold and he said "yes". "Harold Pippus?" He said "yes". I introduced myself and he said, "I know who you are... I think I curled against you one time" (Makes me wonder why he did not say anything... Pippus is not a common name.... however - if you know my Pippus family maybe it is understandable that he would not throw his last name around - it could get a guy in trouble in some places).

Anyway - he went on to say that people always ask him about how he is related to me too. Then he mentioned that he used to work at the Ford dealership in town with Bob Goud's brother Emerson. I told him that Emerson was the preacher at my church in Moose Jaw when I was a kid. He said he knew that Emerson preached there because he left the Ford dealership to move there. Then I told him that I lived with Emerson's widow, Marion, when I first moved to town and he said that he knew where they lived. Then he had to go - and so did I - and that is where we left it for now.

It was a little surreal though. I never think much about extended family, at least on that side, because I don't know many of them. My brother Lenny says that the Pippus name is on the court docket in Moose Jaw all the time - either because one of his kids (he works with young offenders) is up or because one of our cousins is in trouble. My standard joke is that we only have family reunions on the Pippus side when there is a bail hearing. :)

So - all that to say that it I was really glad to meet him, finally. It was a little like having a conversation with a Sasquatch after years of looking for him (Except for the fact that Harold spoke English and not Sasquatchese - or whatever it is called).... but it was nice!

And odd to have so many little connections with someone I had not met (another one... my cousin on the other side of the family is in charge of all the C-stores in the southeast and therefore is Harold's boss).

I plan to have more conversations with him in the future... maybe I can finally learn something about our family history..... or at least find out if there is any stolen bank money buried in an old cold mine somewhere nearby.... you never know right? :)