Coincidence

 

Two editors told me that coincidence in writing doesn't work. Not believable. It contradicts the real life coincidences in my life.

The first needs some numbers.

• The current world population is 8,298,979,48. 
• Swiss population is  9,002,920
• Montana's population is  1,151,831
• Hyde School in Maine has 137 students. 
•  We live in Geneva, Switzerland. 

Pages and Sips is a much loved English book store in Geneva's Vieille Ville nestled in old buildings behind city walls. It has ancient beams, just baked pastries, teas and coffees, books and comfortable places to sit.

We love to go there not just for the books, but the friendly staff, scones and atmosphere. 

On one trip a man with a dog that greeted our dog heard me speak.

"You're from Boston," he said, my accent a giveaway.

We chatted. He was from Montana, the first person from Montana I'd ever met.

As we talked we learned that his son and my brother had both attended the same prep school and to increase the coincidence, Hyde School was located in Maine. It has 137 students. I'm incapable of working out the math on the chances of that.

Today, the first break in the heat wave, we ventured into the Vieille Ville to pick up our book order and enjoy a scone breakfast.

It is a trait in my family to speak to strangers. Tables were set up on the cobblestone street outside the door.  

Sherlock was with us and as so often happens people ask about him.

A young couple, American accent, tourists, patted the dog. We started talking. The usual questions fell such as where are you from, do you live here...

It was a coincidence that she had lived in Stuttgart as a child as I had when my ex-husband was in the 7th Army Band stationed in Stuttgart.  

"My father was an Army doctor," she said.

"What base?" I asked.

Her memory was hazy until I named the three biggies Robinson, Patch, Kelley.

"Kelley," she said.

Memories of the band at Kelley Barracks flashed through my mind. 

It became more entangled. Her partner and my husband both had professional knowledge of the same airplane.

We exchanged contacts and hugs. It would be wonderful to stay in contact. 

Maybe if I want to experience a coincidence I need to go to Pages and Sips, because finding two unlikely coincidences in the same place is a coincidence in itself.