I thought my dad might wig out when I told him. But all he did was used one of his favorite phrases, and put my step-mom on the phone, who proceeded to tell me how surprised she was that the old man was right.

Turns out that over 20 years ago, one of my dad's second cousins (very elderly then) showed up and got to talking family history. Before he left, he asked if they had "found James Littleton's second family."

Dad and Mom thought he was in his dotage, and didn't pay him much mind. Turns out he was one of the grandkids who was hiding behind the door, listening to the grown-ups talk...