Celebrity Grandma

Old Out Takes... written around 2007...

.... It’s true; I have told my friends and Donald Miller, whom I wish was my friend, that I don’t like famous people. 

But what I have stated is not entirely true because I do like Alice (Ann B. Davis) from the Brady Bunch.  Not only did she attend the University of Michigan, but she also came and stayed at our house when I was three years old.  She’s an Episcopalian and my dad had managed to arrange for her to speak at our church in Owosso, Michigan.  I don’t remember much about her visit, but I do have a great photo of her holding me in her arms with my parents standing just beside her.  It looks like your standard, family photograph with Grandma and I keep it on my refrigerator just to mess with people.  The conversation is the same every time. 

“Hey, who’s the lady holding you in this photograph?”

“That’s my Grandma.”

“Really?  She looks a lot like Alice from the Brady Bunch.”

“That’s because she is.”

“Alice is your Grandma?!”

 “Yep.”

“No way.”  Disbelief resides as he or she begins to accept the notion that I might actually be related to a celebrity.  I let them wallow in amazement for a moment or two.

“Okay, so she’s not actually my Grandma, but that is Alice.”

“Well how did you get a photograph with her?”

“She’s stayed at our house and spoke at our church.”

“Huh.  That’s cool.”