Four first cousins hamming it up at the reunion described below. From the left are Jim Mongeau, Izzy's oldest (and the first baby born in Lansing's Ingham Medical Hospital), Dave "Doc" Mongeau, Slammin' Sammy Ward (like me named for the Grandpa Sam), and Mike Mongeau.


Jim, Mike, and Doc all came to East Lansing and lived in our house on Orchard Street. Each had done his time in the Service, and, I guess that Alma wasn't big enough to entertain or to contain them. Lansing, "the big city" had its alluring qualities: plenty of civil service job, where Jim found a job at the highway department; a large university with plenty of fine looking coeds, which worked out well for Mike; and plenty of retail work, which Doc took advantage of.

For me, it was like having a bunch of big brothers around. They were terrific--funny, funnier, and funniest.

Each brother has terrific stories to tell. Mike and Jim have beauties. Reputations dictate that they tell you; I won't publish them here. But think about this for a minute: Mike, when he lived with us, Jim, when he lived with us, and my mom and my sister were all dating during this time. Talk about a circus. Talk about not having enough bathrooms. Talk about the steady stream of conversation about people, places, and things.