Nancy's Notes

Last week I shared the story of identical twin sisters who married identical twin brothers and have now each had baby boys that are so genetically similar, the cousins are more like brothers.

This amazing, amusing story of genetics managed to light an ember in the deep recesses of my mind, bringing back an old song entitled “I Am My Own Grandpa.” And you know how you can get a song going in your head and it stays on replay for hours; no, days? That’s called an earworm. For those of you older than dirt like I am, you certainly remember this song, made famous by Willie Nelson and/or Ray Stevens. Pick your guy... they both sang this ditty. And that earworm? I’m spreading it out to all my ol’ friends who can sing along with me. If you don’t want to sing it, you at least must read this in a poetic meter to get the real feel of this little gem. (Please note: I know it’s not grammatically appropriate, but I’ve taken the liberty of capitalizing all the pronouns to make them “stand out” as you map out this Family Tree!)

I Am My Own Grandpa

Now many, many years ago when I was twenty-three, I was married to a Widow who was pretty as could be. This Widow had a grown-up Daughter with blazing hair of red; my Father fell in love with her and soon the two were wed. This made my Dad my Son-in-law and changed my very life—my Daughter was my Mother, because she was my Father’s Wife.

To complicate the matters, even though it brought me joy, I soon became the Father of a bouncing baby Boy. My little Baby then became a Brother-in-law to Dad, and so became my Uncle, though it made me very sad. For if he was my Uncle, that also made him the Brother of the Widow's grown-up Daughter who, of course, was my Step-Mother.

[Chorus]

Oh, I am my own Grandpa! I’m my own Grandpa!

It sounds funny, I know, but it really is so— I’m my own Grandpa!

My Father’s Wife then had a Son that kept them on the run, and he became my Grandchild, for he was my Daughter’s Son. My Wife is now my Mother’s Mother, and it really makes me blue—because, she is my Wife and she’s my Grandmother, too!

Now, if my Wife is my Grandmother, then I am her Grandchild; and every time I think of that, it nearly drives me wild! For now I have become the strangest case you ever saw: as the Husband of my Grandmother, I am my own Grandpa!

[Chorus]

Yes, I am my own Grandpa! I’m my own Grandpa!

It sounds funny, I know, but it really is so— I’m my own Grandpa!