Matt discovers Kansas

       In the summer of 2008, Matthew, the middle of three New Jersey grandsons, discovered he was only half Italian.  The other half, from his mother’s side, had roots deep in Kansas.  As luck would have it, his older brother was heavily involved in stuff, his younger brother was equally deep into sports, and he was stranded in the middle.  Sensing this middle child’s dilemma, his grandmother asked if he would like to go with us to his mother’s family’s reunion in Kansas in July. 
        Matthew had never been to the land of Oz, so he was excited by the chance to spend a week checking out his mother’s roots.  Another mother in his New Jersey neighborhood asked Matthew what he was going to do in the summer. 
        “I am going to spend some time in Kansas” was Matt’s reply.    
        “And what is in Kansas?” she asked.
        “I don’t know”, Matt said, “but I will let you know when I get back”