Ann Who?

It's a good thing that I am such a confident and well-adjusted person. Otherwise, I might have an inferiority complex.

Several years ago, Tim and I were back in Pennsylvania having dinner with my parents at a very nice restaurant. Now it just so happened that a local judge was having the wedding rehearsal dinner for one of his daughters there in a private room.

Although I hadn't seen the judge in many, many years, our two families had known each other for a long time. I had grown up spending summers with two of his daughters swimming at a local lake, and my father occasionally testified in front of the judge as an expert witness.

At the time, Tim was working in the White House and the judge, like many people back home, had expressed an interest to my father in getting together with Tim.

Not wanting to intrude on a family affair, my father passed along the judges wishes to Tim, but they both decided that another time would be better.

As we were leaving though, the judge happened to pass us in the hallway. Seeing my father, he stopped to chat and it was then that I received the crushing blow.

My father, obviously thinking of the judge's request, introduced us as, "This is my son-in-law Tim, and his wife, Ann."

Excuse me? His wife? What about, "This is my daughter? " Shouldn't I at least get top billing in my own family? What, had his first wife tragically died and I was his second and therefore unrelated wife?

What happened to the good old days when Tim and I were dating and my father used to refer to him as "that boy" with venom dripping from each syllable? How had he replaced me in the family in just a few short years? (my father, meanwhile, was totally oblivious to what he had done)

The second incident happened more recently, as in the other day.

I had just gotten off the phone with my parents when it rang. Glancing at the caller ID, I saw that it was my father calling me back. Thinking he had forgotten to tell me something, I answered with, "Hey", which must have thrown him off as there was quite a sizable pause.

Then, "I'm sorry. Who is this?"

Okay. Not what I was expecting to hear, but... "It's me, Annie"

Another pause. "Annie. Hi. I was trying to reach Joan."

"Well, you dialed me instead."

"Annie...Annie..." he repeated it as though it were a foreign word. "Do I know you? How are you related to Joan?"

Uh, I'm not, and yes, you should know me since I AM YOUR DAUGHTER!!!

Or perhaps you might know me better as Tim's wife!