I live in the US. Most Americans aren't sure whether gypsies are real.

[And as such, aside from the Hunchback of Notre Dame and countless movies with gypsy witches, not much really was said about them in the context of 'people who really exist'. Of course, to be fair, in Roddy's world there probably were lots of magical gypsies...just as there were magical music students, magical auto body mechanics, and magical lawyers. There were a lot of people with powers in his world.]

I guess it's just an alternate universe thing.

[It didn't seem to inconceivable that someone's father in another universe had a completely different personality and nature.]