Put 'em up!

I learned some interesting tidbits of family history from Aunt Bev on our trip. For instance, I was happy to hear that Andy's grandmother dated Al Capone when she was 14, and that Andy's grandfather was a small-time Indiana gangster. That's right. Simon and Charlotte's grandmother was a gangster's moll. At a shockingly early age! Awesome!

There was a bit of an old-school gangster presence around these parts, particularly in the West Baden Springs area, so I guess that's how Grandma Sutton hooked up with Al, and later, Grandpa Sutton.

Andy's mom doesn't talk about it, because she's embarrassed of her origins. Personally, though, I'm excited. Andy's family is sure bringing the fun! On my dad's side, I've got humorless, Grapes-of-Wrath-esque farm people; and on my mom's, bored and bourbon-soaked Louisville aristocracy. Well, to be fair, there are some good stories about them, but Andy's got the peppy bootstraps Irish maidservants and butlers; the dashing, wild-eyed Northern-Italian cowboy (honest-to-goodness!); and now gangsters! Sweet!

Come to think of it, this whole gangster heritage explains so much about Charlotte, like her charisma, thievery, and wanton destruction. Oh, and the rum running.