Larry Smith and I have been emailing. One of the media Smiths I emailed forwarded it to him (not because he works in media, but because of his last name) and in turn he sent me a note saying hello, wondered how many “Larry Smiths” I thought existed, and: “I visited the web site and read a couple of the articles. I found the guy back from Iraq interesting as I have always been pro-military. A good friend of mine was called up for Iraq at the age of 57. He was a Major in the Army Reserve. He just got back in Sept. He was not impressed. He is also a Viet Vet.”

We decided it was time for SMITH mag’s inaugural Same Name interview. Of course, it’s easy to read anything you want in anything, to see your life in the clairvoyant words of a psychic or astrology blurb in the Allure magazine you skimmed at the dentist’s office. But when Larry Smith, 60, of Sulphur Springs, TX wrote: “A lot of people who don’t know me very well think that I never worry about anything and that I am just a happy-go-lucky guy…” it just sort of chilled me.

LARRY SMITH: ‘How many Larry Smiths’ is a damn good question. Oddly, or maybe not so oddly, I’ve never met another Larry Smith. We’re starting a column called “Same Name” in which two people with the same name talk to each other. Mind if I ask you a few questions?

LARRY SMITH: Sure. I have never actually met another Larry Smith either, but there is a black man on CNN Headline news who does the sports that calls himself Larry Smith.

LS: Who are you?

LS: Good question. I am a Vietnam Vet, a retired postal worker and a full time caregiver for my disabled wife.

LS: Family?

LS: Just celebrated 35 years of marriage. We have two children both up and out and on their own and one grandchild.

LS: Pets?

LS: We have a dog and a cat. The dog is 7 months old and still very much a puppy as she is half Lab and half Weimaraner. The cat is about 11 years old and owns the dog.

LS: What do you do?

LS: I am a fulltime caregiver for my wife and my hobby is the restoration and the enjoyment of riding antique Cushman Motor Scooters.

LS: Last movie seen?

LS: Resident Evil, Apocalypse. That may sound odd for my age but I just like both Resident Evil movies. They are good fun.

LS: Quirkiest habit?

LS: I make jokes of everything. A lot of people who don’t know me very well think that I never worry about anything and that I am just a happy-go-lucky guy. However my entire family is like this.