"It's a fine view, isn't it?" The man sitting on the steps enjoying the sunshine spoke to me.
We chatted for a while and then he asked me what part of England I was originally from.When I told him, he said he was born on the Isle of Wight.
"Oh," I said, "I've been there many times, I used to live in Southampton."
"So did I," he said.
"When I lived there, I worked at the Ordnance Survey" I said.
His eyes widened. "So did I," he said.
"I worked at the London Road office," I added.
"So did I," he said.
We compared notes and it turned out that he probably left just as I started, so our paths had not actually crossed on the other side of the Atlantic 40 years ago, although we had shared experiences and remembered the same people.
But then I asked him where he lived in Southampton.
"Oh, I lived in a boarding house run by an elderly couple known as Mom and Pop," he told me. "Pop did all the cooking and cleaning, and Mom did nothing. It was full of young men from all over the country who were employed by the Ordnance Survey."
"Was it by any chance known as 'Pop's Palace'?"I asked.
"You know it?"
"I had a boyfriend who lived there."
So it really is a small world....
Aren't encounters like this wonderful. You were meant to meet that day I think. Your photo is lovely.
ReplyDeleteAmazing stuff, isn't it? MY WIFE's father and my father were born on the same day, same year, just a few blocks from each other, but we didn't meet until we were both in our 30's and living miles away from each other. Not quite the same as your story, but those types of things happen all the time. There is something magical about our world, but we don't always slow down enough to gather it in.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great experience! I like stories like that!
ReplyDeletewonderful story! love those photos, too. are you STILL on vacation???
ReplyDeleteI've been back from vacation for a couple of weeks, but so many things to blog about.... I know you don't want to miss anything!
ReplyDeleteWow.. how I love stories like that. I have a few of my own. Involving travel, even. Such a fascinating occurrence.
ReplyDeleteYes, small it is.....and getting smaller....6 degrees you know.
ReplyDeleteLOL, LOL....That is INCREDIBLE! Sometimes it is so suprising how small the world is....! If you wrote that in a story, people would say that was too unreal....! TRUTH IS STRANGER THAN FICTIUN...Indeed!!!
ReplyDeleteTo answer your question about GRAUMAN'S CHINESE THEATRE....It was the design. It was all Chinese---Everything. The whole building and all the decor was Chinese in feeling and flavor. Sid Grauman also built THE EGYPTIAN THEATRE. Tha whole design was in an Egyptian Motif....Both theatres are still around and both have been restored. THE EGYPTIAN is fantastic!
I love the serendipity of life. How wonderful to meet that gentleman. Love the colorful houses too.
ReplyDeleteLOVE that photograph!! How fun to find someone from your home.
ReplyDeleteStrange coincidence. Once, long ago I was in a Paris jazz club and sitting at the table next to us was a man, alone, wearing a strange light brown jacket. I looked at the jacket I remember. Then about 2 months later I arrived in San Francisco and went to a jazz club in North Beach and sitting at the table next to us was a man, alone, wearing a strange light brown jacket. I looked at the jacket, then at the man and trying to be brave I asked him if he was in Paris 2 months ago at Club x? yes he said. That’s all. At the time though I thought it was quite a coincidence.
ReplyDeleteWhen my manuscript first went to my editor she told me readers don't like coincidences in books . . . I'm not sure why! They happen all the time. Yours is an amazing story.
ReplyDeleteI found you on Debs' blog where you wondered if my book is available in Canada. Yes, it is. You can find it on amazon.ca by typing in Cut Short Leigh Russell.
If Debs' great review doesn't persuade you to read it, I can tell you that my publisher has had to reprint less than two months after the book launched, due to volume of sales thanks to great reviews and word of mouth recommendation. I hope you decide to read it and let me know what you think of it. I'd love to hear from you.
Very nice story. this looks like a great little town.
ReplyDeleteThat's amazing. It really is a small world, and there are so many instances where amazing coincidences happen, they just make you stop and wonder.
ReplyDeleteWhat a story! It's like you feel your paths crossed again for a reason. Neat-o! :O)
ReplyDeleteOMG! I love stories like this, Sham. Mine isn't as incredible but the father of the man who cut down our dead oaks recently grew up in the town where my sister Ruth and her farm are in Michigan. He knew all about their street and the entire area. It really IS a small world!
ReplyDeletemy heart warms whenever i hear stories like this! wow, not only the same town, but the same people and workplace and more! These are the stories your gkids will love to hear and read about.
ReplyDelete