The family ties that bind



Portrait of me as a young man,
apparently

At Food Lion the other night, a cashier who I had seen many times before, said to me rather excitedly: "I finally figured out who you look like. Do you remember the show 'Family Ties?'"

"Of course," I said, pausing for a second before adding, "You really think I look like Michael J. Fox? I haven't heard that one before."

"Oh no," I think you're a dead ringer for Skippy."

Skippy, you know, Fox's nerdy, goofy buddy who had it bad for sister Mallory.

Other than also having it bad for Mallory (who didn't have it bad for Mallory?), I always thought I was better looking, funnier, and well....not Skippy, who I thought was sort of a national joke.

Apparently not. I brought it up to co-workers the next day, who agreed with my Food Lion acquaintance that Skippy is my doppelganger. I neglected to tell them the final comment from the cashier as I picked up my groceries: "You really do look like Skippy -- you could be his father."

Gulp.