It's a Small World

It's a small world, but I wouldn't want to paint it.
-Steven Wright

This past week I subbed in Chelsea. Most of you know that Stein grew up in Chelsea. It's a small town, and since his parents, siblings, niece and nephews were (and are) so involved in so many different sports and activities, when you say the name Steinhauer, most people know someone in the family.

When I subbed at the middle school, one of the teachers said to me, "You're not related to the Steinhauers we have here, are you?" I said, "Yes, I'm their aunt." Then I went to the elementary school in the afternoon. When I introduced myself to the kindergarten teacher in the room, she said, "Which Steinhauer are you married to?" When I told her David, she said, "Oh yeah, I grew up down the street." It turns out that she was on the same bus route. The next day, I was subbing in Ann Arbor, and was talking to the teacher in the room where I was. I was telling her that I subbed in Chelsea the day before. She asked me who I subbed for, and when I told her, she said, "My daughter was in that class last year." Then I told her that my husband grew up there. When I told her his name, she said, "Oh yeah, I graduated with him."

The whole concept is so foreign to me. Growing up in Chicago, you didn't know too many people outside of your neighborhood. There was a sense of anonymity pretty much everywhere you went. It may sound weird, but I liked this feeling. It was like anywhere you went, you had a new beginning. No one knew your business, where you came from, or what you did when you were five. That's why this whole small-town feeling is so weird to me. Even though I have married into the family, I am still connected to them with the last name. I'm beginning to realize how small the town is, and also how "big" the Steinhauer name is.