Banner Sponsors
For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
Newcastle, OntarioHubby and I went to Kingston today - it's a town about two hours away, where we grew up, and a lovely spot on Lake Ontario. We had a limited amount of time as we had to be back for his bowling night.
I think I've mentioned here before that Neil and I raised our two children in a very small town in the middle of the boonies, called Deep River. It is a company town for Atomic Energy of Canada and we were there for almost 20 years. It is a very transient town and all of our old friends now live elsewhere as well, although we do keep in close touch. We've often joked that they must have innoculated all Deep River residents with magnets, because we always run into people we knew from there.
Today, Neil dropped me off at Michaels for "half an hour", while he went to pick up a few things. He is always on time and I hurried to get everything I wanted and be waiting at the door on time. I waited, and waited and waited and waited and was getting more and more frustrated. He was an hour late, which is unheard of for him, when a lady and came through the door and called my name. It was an old neighbour from Deep River, who had moved to Kingston with her husband a few years ago. We hadn't kept in touch with this couple and we hadn't seen them in years. It was obvious that I was angry and I took a few deep breaths and started to catch up with her. She lent me her phone to try calling Neil and there was no answer. Another half hour went by and I was beginning to think something was really wrong. One last try by phone, finally reached him with an "I'm on my way" response.
I said thank you to our neighbour, and finished chatting as our car pulled up. I was ready to strangle him as I got into the car, when he blurted out, "I'm really sorry but I ran into one of our old neighbours from Deep River and the time got away from me!" It turned out he had been having coffee with the husband of the neighbour that was trying to help me at Michaels!!! I wonder what the odds are of us separately running into the husband and wife, who were old neighbours 15 years ago, at opposite ends of a town with a population of over 150,000, at approximately the same time! We both simultaneously pulled out business cards from them and honestly, Neil is a lucky fellow, because instead of staying angry, the situation left us both howling with laughter. With those odds, I think I might start buying lottery tickets!
hugs,
Brenda
Posts: 3,540Whoa!!! Now what are the odds of that?!?! 
Posts: 8,574Great story! thanks for sharing.....odds? boy I am sure someone studied stats in college, yuck!
glad you have fun
dilu
That is just amazing - I do think you should buy a lottery ticket.
Jare Hares & BearsThat is too funny. 
We ran into to a collector who live the next town over from us at Schaumburg one time. We have kept in touch with her over the years, but we only see her at Schaumburg, even though we only live about 17 miles apart.
Past Time Bears
Ok when you win the lotto, please think of me and send some $$$$$
Lynette
DoodlebearsGreat story Brenda, it was beat to laugh it off 
I was ready to strangle him as I got into the car
Whoops, not a good idea.
Isn't it strange how these things happen. I was on a beach in the south of France and got talking to a guy who was around my dad's age. He mentioned that he had been a prisoner of war during the second world war and I told him that my dad also had been in the same situation. It only turned out that not only had they been in the same prisoner of war camp but in the same hut next to each others bed. What were the chances of that meeting. I took his contact details and passed them onto my dad, who was amazed at the chance meeting.
Hugs, Jane. 
Chaska, MinnesotaBrenda: I'd buy that lottery ticket if I were you....the odds are in your favor....
Lol, that is kinda freaky.. lol.. and funny.
Hugs!
Melanie
Newcastle, OntarioJane,
That's a truly amazing story! They say it's not coincidence but "syncronicity", but whatever it is, it's really cool.
Everytime we talk to one of our old friends from Deep River, we all have new stories to tell about running into people from there. We've actually dubbed them "Deep River moments" LOL! They range from travelling to British Columbia for the worlds fair years ago, and ending up behind a neighbour from our street, to a friend's hubby going into a coffee shop in Istanbul and running into a friend from Deep River! Part of it is that Deep River was headquarters for Atomic Energy of Canada, and lots of employees frequently travelled internationally. At one time in the 1980's, Deep River had the most people with PhDs per capita than anywhere else in North America. Because of the high education level, the schools had computers in the 1980s and we had a fabulous two story library. The kids took things like cross country skiing, parasailing and scuba diving in Phys Ed. It really was a great place to raise kids.
Our son was saving a table for friends at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto, on New Years eve. A friend, who has just signed a contract with a recording label, was playing there. A couple asked if they could sit there till his friends showed up and he agreed and as they chatted and he asked if they were local, they said no - it turns out they were from Deep River. He didn't know them, but it's still funny, and it's an immediate conversation starter. Strange little town, it is.
hugs,
Brenda
