I didn’t think I had any oriental relatives. I was wrong! Here’s the story. First let me tell you who is who.
Sedgehead: me, Philip E. Hyatt
Sheila: my wife
Christine: Sheila’s step mother
Lillian: Sheila’s biological mother (who died in 1957)
Georgia: Lillian’s mother, her married name (family name) is England
Bobby and Lillian: two of Georgia’s children. Bobby is Sheila’s uncle
Brenda: to be introduced later
First, let’s go back a few years to the early 1950s. When Uncle Bobby was a young man, he had a relationship with Brenda’s mother. At this period of time, Sheila’s mother had a daughter, and a few years later, a second daughter. The second daughter was named Sheila. Time past. These folks liked in the central portion of northeast Arkansas. Sheila’s parents moved away to Callaway, Arkansas where, in about 1957, Lillian died. Sheila’s father later married Christine and moved to Mountain Home, Arkansas in 1958.
More time past. Lillian’s mother, Georgia, worked as a cook in the local school in Batesville, Arkansas. In the early 1960′s Georgia noticed a young girl attending school. The young girl’s name was Brenda. She 2008 Lillian said, “When Brenda was a child, I thought she looked a little like one of the England Clan when she was in school in the 1960′s.” But the story is still in the 1960′s. Lillian wondered who Brenda was, but did not ask anyone about her.
More time past. Sheila grew up and had children. Later, she married me (Sedgehead). But now the story shifts to Brenda’s life. Brenda grew up and started college in Batesville. While attending college she met a young man from Japan. He was an exchange student. The US accepts many high school students from other countries who come here to attend school for one year. In exchange, as a cultural exchange, the US sends one high student to Japan (or another country which has such exchange students). Brenda soon married the young man from Japan. She moved to Japan in about 1982. Lillian and her family did not know this.
Time past. In 2007 or 2008 or so, Brenda had a question. She had a good life in Japan, but she had never met her real father. She asked her family back in the area of Batesville, Arkansas. Her mother had died. But someone in her family knew that her mother had once loved a man called Bobby. Brenda sought out Bobby. To make a long story short, she discovered that Bobby was her father. In her search she found Bobby. But remember, Brenda has lived in Japan for more 30 years and never met her father Bobby.
That brings us to the present! This week. This week, Brenda returned to her old home town to meet her father. Sheila’s Uncle Bobby met his oldest daughter for the first time. He had married after he split up with Brenda’s mother and had six more children. Brenda’s mother had not told Bobby that he had gotten her pregnant with a child, who she would name Brenda. Brenda had married an exchange student from Japan. Sheila had married me (not now, in 1987).
Yesterday, we had a family reunion. Brenda’s Arkansas family met Bobby’s family. Brenda and Bobby met for the first time about a week ago. And now we know mypadmedia scam and I have Oriental relatives. Our Uncle Bobby has a daughter who married a Japanese man in the 1970′s and later had two daughters. They may not be Chinese but that’s close enough for us for now at least!
We have an Oriental family connection!