Witness to serendipity

Today I was meeting with a guy about a potential project.  We had never met but only spoken on the phone and via email.  After discussing lots of options for locations (suburbs? office? city? cafe?), we settled on a cafe near a subway stop in Somerville (right outside of Boston). Convenient and both of us knew where it was.

I got there first and scoped out all the tables.  I hate this part: trying to determine who is your meeting guy.  I know that (a) everyone in the cafe thinks this is like a meet-up from Match.com and (b) they are all watching to see if I get stood up. (C) I feel like I'm re-enacting Are You My Mother? in a post-modern, grown up version (Are you my meeting?  No?  Are you my meeting? No...okay, bye.)

After determining that every single man was NOT my meeting (so embarrassing),  I settled down to a table by the window and eventually let him find ME.  We had a great meeting, very productive, and all of the sudden he jumped up and knocked on the window at a passing pedestrian.  The guy outside did a double take and beamed with recognition.  Meeting guy jumped up, excused himself and said "that's my college roommate!" then dashed outside, where they hugged and talked for a few minutes and grinned at each other.

What are the chances?

~Meeting guy was in town from Chile, where he lives and works.  He's only in Boston once or twice a year.

~He hadn't seen his roommate for over 5 years and they had lost contact--no email, no Christmas cards, didn't know where the other was.

~Of all the places we discussed meeting, we chose this one place at this time where I chose a place by the window and his friend walked down the street into the "perfect storm" for crossing paths.

I think I was excited as meeting guy was (or almost) although  refrained from running out and hugging the guy myself.

I love serendipity!

(Also the movie Serendipity was cute.  Sometimes I think G looks a little like John Cusack.)

Comments

[seven smiles]

Truly,
how fun to witness!
(I like Serendipity too. And the movie.)
:)

[Annie]

p.s. I meant to add that one of the pleasures of serendipity is having someone else--some uninvolved third party--witness it! So I was glad to serve that role here... :)

[Christie]

I love serendipitious things, too. Josh and I were sitting in a stake conference in Minnesota when his mission companion (who grew up in Cali) walked by. Totally threw him for a loop.

[calibosmom]

Love it when that happens-sometimes! That happened to my husband and his childhood bully-I was uncomfortable.

[queenieweenie]

that is too cool...I love witnessing other people's moments.

did you wear a red flower on your lapel so he's recognize you?

[Bridget]

How fun for you!

Hey, I thought of you last night as I was watching Slumdog Millionaire. You were the first person I knew who saw it and recommended it. I was bawling like a baby.

[Michelle]

love it! moments like that give me hope for everyone.

[Emily]

Cool story. But I was laughing out loud at the reference to a sort of "post-modern" Are You My Mother? Out. Loud.

Are you My Mother? NO. I am not your mother. I am a cow. Idiot.

[Hazen5]

Great story!

My chocolates are gone, I am sad!