Here are my two grandsons -

Sam, who lives in Alabama, and is the son of my middle son, Andrew:

                              


...and this is the Ugly Baby himself, Jackson, son of my eldest, Floyd/David:


                                      

Sam is a year and two months older - and, as you can tell, much better groomed.

I've never seen Sam in person - we went home two years ago for his birth, but Sam refused to cooperate, and stayed put until about ten days after we left. I was there when Jackson popped out, and I've seen him his whole life.

If I didn't have kids - or grandkids - I might think that the difference in having spent time with them would mean something with respect to the way that I feel about the little fellers. But, since I have kids, it doesn't surprise me a bit that I have just as much investment - emotionally - in seeing Sam do well as I do in watching little Jackson.

I also have two granddaughters that I haven't seen in four or five years - and I have the same sets of feelings about them.

When I get well - really well - then I'll be able to feel the same way about you, or about the guy at the corner store, or about Osama Ben Ladin, as I do about Jackson or Sam. But, for now, I admit to being tied (somewhat) to the demands of my genome.