Pleasant Conversation With Cousin Michael

I met my cousin Michael Hertzberg via a phone call on Monday. He's Arlene's brother and Edie's son, for those who haven't followed along so far.

Michael, pictured at right with his two boys, and his wife live in the D.C. area, where he's a psychiatrist in private practice and she's a psychologist and counselor at the same office. Their two sons are both in college -- one of them in South Florida.

We chatted for about 20 or so minutes and it was a great first meeting. I filled him in on my life and how it came to be that I was not part of the family and now I am. He passed along what little he knows of my origins or the separation of my parents, though he did remember a little bit about that time.

Michael is the eldest of the cousins and he said in his youth he and Mel Kohn were friendly. He remembered Mel leaving New York for points west, but that's about all he can remember.

Ah well. Like I've said before, with the two key players in this drama no longer here I'll probably never learn quite what broke them up, or why. Like they say, water under the bridge.

At this point, I have a future to look forward to with my wife, kids, brother, sisters, cousins and aunt, not to mention the cousins, aunts and uncles I've known for all my life.