As we mentioned previously, we have been going to the fruit and vegetable market on Tuesdays and/or Fridays.  The market consists of a single farmer who brings his truck up to the church square and sells produce to the locals in Mellieha.

My aunts Vitorine and Gemma informed us that the farmer’s name is Charlie, so we started calling him by name.  Then we learned that he knew Vitorine quite well, so about a week ago we informed him that I was Vitorine’s nephew.  He mentioned that he lived across the street from my cousins Caroline.  Afterwards, Mellieha being small and connected like it is, chatter happened, Charlie thought we were related to someone else, but that was corrected.

On Saturday night, my cousin Robert came by for a few hours to catch up.  Robert does many things but currently he’s some sort of broker between farmers and stores/vegetable stand owners.  It turns out, he sells to Charlie.  Small world.

So, this morning Kim and I go to the market around 7am.  My Aunt’s are there, in line, it was fun to run into them.  There’s another woman just ahead of my Aunts who, it turns out is first cousins with my Uncle George (my Mother’s sister Mary’s husband), and second cousins with my Aunts.  Then Gemma is talking with Charlie in Maltese and it turns out my Dad was very good friends with Charlie’s Dad.

Man, if you are in some way connected to the early days of Mellieha life, and don’t have multiple connections through various channels, then you’re a rare breed.

(Vitorine and Gemma in the foreground, Charlie in the white shirt)