Incest

The first week we lived here, I happened to drive somewhere right when high school was getting out and found myself hyperventilating a little bit as I watched all of the teenagers walking (and driving) around after school. High School was not the peak of my personal growth (I hope!) and it weirded me out to be back there for the first time since I graduated. I saw my high school self the way other adults probably did. Annoying, full of it, generally disrespectful and not-at-all put together.

High school flash backs is only one of the reasons moving home is trippy.

Last night at my ward's book group one of the others attending said "what's your maiden name?"
"Fugal" I told her hesitantly. Not knowing which Fugals she knew. There are a lot of us around here....
"I KNEW it!"
"How?"
"Your profile. I can totally see that you're a Fugal."
She isn't the first to see the Fugal all over my face. Apparently I am the most Fugaly looking Fugal on the planet. Perfect strangers have come up to me more than once and asked if I was a Fugal. And I always am. Every time.

Turns out she's a Fugal too (though she doesn't look as Fugaly as I do) and that she is the sister of the "Other Amy Fugal" (who is now not a Fugal any more than I am). Growing up we'd occasionally get mail for The Other Amy Fugal, bank statements, medical bills, all sorts of things. Not often, but every now and then. And my mom would always tell me about the Other Amy Fugal. The Other Amy also has a younger brother named Nathan. Just like me. I always wondered if the Other Amy Fugal was anything like me...I'm still wondering.

I've had all kinds of run-ins with people I used to know, or who know my family, or who we are related to.

I was scrolling through my Instagram feed one night while Josh looked over my shoulder when he suddenly shouted - hey! That's Travis! Turns out Travis works with Josh and also happens to be married to Kami who I just met through blogging over the summer but has quickly become a close friend. They just moved here (for his new job which is at the same place as Josh's new job) from Arizona and as it turns out they work together often.

An old friend from high school's father knocked on my door one day asking about my apples which were dropping into the church parking lot over our back fence. (oops!)
"Yes you're welcome to pick them (and more! please!!!), but I think you look familiar. You're Aubrie's dad aren't you?" I asked him.
I see pictures of him all the time on her blog and facebook and I feel like I know him, though we'd never met until he randomly appeared at my door.

My mom is a librarian and knows my visiting teachers (and probably half the ward) from the library.

I feel like every time I turn around I'm finding some former or familial connection with someone I just met (and like). And every time I tell Josh about it we laugh at him because he can't remember "what's that thing where family members marry each other so everybody is related more than once?" Incest my dear. And it feels like this place is full of it.