But I'll keep them short. My favorite 3, "Wow did that really happen" moments.

1972... my Dad came to visit me in Europe... we traveled to Italy and the Vatican... went inside St. Peter's Basilica... which is pretty big, as you know. While inside we hear someone calling "Bruno. Bruno"... which didn't really surprise us what with Bruno being a very common name in Italy. But then we heard "Bruno Marchini"... and that WAS surprising, being my Dad's name. Turned out to be one of his best friends from Firebaugh, a small farming community somewhat close to our home town.

Second encounter - While stationed in Germany I lived in a small town about 10 miles south of Heidelberg... one day while driving home I picked up a hitchhiker. Found out he was from Kerman... 15 miles from my home town and even though we didn't know each other we knew many of the same people.

Third encounter... in 1969 two cousins and I traveled to Europe, several countries... our main objective to visit some relatives in Lucca, Italy whom NONE in my family had ever met in person. We got off the train and almost instantly found ourselves lost in the maze of small roads and alleys. Speaking very little Italian and with only an address none of us could understand we sought guidance. Stores in Lucca, most small towns in Italy, do not have signs outside.. or if they do they are barely noticeable. In a window to one building I could a lot of bicycles lined up and the door was open... so I took a chance and went inside hoping to find someone who could interpret our hand written address for us. After using all the Italian I knew, and getting nowhere, the guy finally said there was someone in the back who spoke English - (sheesh) - the guy came out and very quickly gave us directions and how to get to the address... then, making conversation, asked, "Where are you from?". We simply replied, "The USA"... but he then asked, "Which State?"... not a surprise, Europeans know American states well.. "California" we answered - -

Not good enough, however.. the man continued, "What town"... well there isn't one chance in hell anyone knows my town, Tranquillity... not even here in California... much less in some little bicycle shop in the middle of Lucca, Italy. So we replied, "It's near Fresno which is between SF and LA".. figuring he would certainly know SF and LA but probably not Fresno.

"Oh yeah", he replied, "What town?".... now he's wants us to name the name... well, "What the hell?", we thought, and told him, "Tranquillity". That's when it happened.

"Tranquillity, just passed kerman, I know it well. My brother-in-law owns the Lucca restaurant in Madera. You know Jack Esponde?". And in fact, we did.. he's our cousin.

Yeah, love those moments. - JamesJM