namesake

My mom mentioned to me a couple of days ago a story that has been in the news in Pittsburgh. Someone whose name is very similar to mine has been on trial for homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence. She is not sure, but she thinks the person may be a second or third cousin as well. We have people with his last name in his home town in our family, and there is apparently someone else from that part of the family with whom I share a first and middle name.

The story itself is sad. Someone who is six years younger than I am is on trial for inadvertently killing someone else, and he has the potential to spend ten years in prison. Distant relative or not, there is nothing good about that situation.

What is weird is that, since that person has nearly the same name that I do and may be distantly related, it is a little easier to put myself in his shoes. I don't drink, and I would be too cautious to drive drunk even if I did, so it doesn't make too much sense that I would imagine myself in this situation. Under normal circumstances I would not give it too much thought. There's something about my namesake going through something, though, that makes it easier to empathize.

I can say one thing at least. I won't be drinking and driving any time in the near future.