I’ve always liked keeping up with who’s where and what old friends are up to. Once the internet came along I started doing skip tracing. I became able to hone my skills and can find out more than I should about almost anyone.

But you just have to be careful how you use it.

Once I had a son that was dating a young lady. The first time I met her and she told me where she was from, I said oh, do you happen to know John Smith and his wife Suzy (not their real names). They were her parents next door neighbors. Then I ask if she knew this other couple, her parents neighbors on the other side. She was amazed. But then I told her I was only playing with her, that I really didn’t know anyone from the town where she was from.

She laughed and we all laughed.

When she went home the next time, she was telling the story to her mother. Her mother didn’t laugh.

Oh well, you win some and loose some.

Time passed and after a while a wedding took place in her hometown near Houston. All was going well until at the reception until the bride wanted to introduce me to the neighbors that lived on each side of her parents.

I told her that’s just fine, I really don’t need to meet them.