A Random Coincidence
Discussion
A the end of a long road trip replacing several windscreens in Warwick, Ashby-de-la-Zouch and penultimately Doncaster respectively, I began my journey home from the capital of the north, Wheldrake for those familiar with the area, the final destination of what felt like the conclusion of an odyssey.
The crowning instalment, a 911 Targa windscreen replacement, went very well and the hosts were very hospitable. Andy had spent some time in Enfield, close to where I live in Barnet, and had a very good idea of the 200-mile journey south. He, and his wife wished me well as I set off for the four hour cruise home. Just a few minutes into my journey, I started to think about where I would stop for comfort breaks, and in doing so, inadvertently pre-empted one. Whilst still on the A19 I decided that it would be much easier to stretch my legs in one of the lay-bys signposted, 'P'. But there was an issue: each one I approached was coned off, closed for no apparent reason. This exacerbated my now urgent need to pit in. I persevered, and just as tiny beads of sweat started to appear on my forehead, I found a spot safe to stop in.
As I stretched my legs, my eye was drawn to what looked like a drivers licence on the ground, and sure enough, laying on the grass verge, it was one. My immediate thought was that Phil (not his real name) had dropped his card on a similar service stop. Perhaps it was discarded after a theft of his belongings? Or maybe it was his old licence he'd discarded and foxes had pulled out the contents of the bin, who knows. I decided to pick it up for a closer look.
The licence was valid, and when I saw Phil's address, I had to look around to make sure the ghost of Cilla Black wasn't about to walk towards me singing into a slim microphone. He was from Slough, my home town.
Google says I should post it to the DVLA or hand it in to a police station (remember those?). But what a random coincidence. Would have been spooky if I knew him, or that he lived on the same street I grew up in.
The crowning instalment, a 911 Targa windscreen replacement, went very well and the hosts were very hospitable. Andy had spent some time in Enfield, close to where I live in Barnet, and had a very good idea of the 200-mile journey south. He, and his wife wished me well as I set off for the four hour cruise home. Just a few minutes into my journey, I started to think about where I would stop for comfort breaks, and in doing so, inadvertently pre-empted one. Whilst still on the A19 I decided that it would be much easier to stretch my legs in one of the lay-bys signposted, 'P'. But there was an issue: each one I approached was coned off, closed for no apparent reason. This exacerbated my now urgent need to pit in. I persevered, and just as tiny beads of sweat started to appear on my forehead, I found a spot safe to stop in.
As I stretched my legs, my eye was drawn to what looked like a drivers licence on the ground, and sure enough, laying on the grass verge, it was one. My immediate thought was that Phil (not his real name) had dropped his card on a similar service stop. Perhaps it was discarded after a theft of his belongings? Or maybe it was his old licence he'd discarded and foxes had pulled out the contents of the bin, who knows. I decided to pick it up for a closer look.
The licence was valid, and when I saw Phil's address, I had to look around to make sure the ghost of Cilla Black wasn't about to walk towards me singing into a slim microphone. He was from Slough, my home town.
Google says I should post it to the DVLA or hand it in to a police station (remember those?). But what a random coincidence. Would have been spooky if I knew him, or that he lived on the same street I grew up in.
I can beat that!
During Covid, I was commissioned to do a bit of remote work (via another company) for the Government of the Seychelles, who share a lot of civil service resource with India. Had a Teams call scheduled with the client and was just doing the usual meet and greet, pre meeting pleasantries waiting for everyone to log on. The main chap on the client side, someone I'd never met before, an Indian, asked where in the UK I live.
Now, to explain this I need to explain that I live in a village just south of Chelmsford that few people in Essex have heard of. And for those overseas, Chelmsford isn't a city many are familiar with so my stock response is 'around 30 miles north east of London'.
Anyway, he kept asking whereabouts and to cut the story short, it turned out this chap in the 90s played Cricket professionally and spent a few years at Essex County Cricket. Whilst there, he rented a house in the road I live in!!
During Covid, I was commissioned to do a bit of remote work (via another company) for the Government of the Seychelles, who share a lot of civil service resource with India. Had a Teams call scheduled with the client and was just doing the usual meet and greet, pre meeting pleasantries waiting for everyone to log on. The main chap on the client side, someone I'd never met before, an Indian, asked where in the UK I live.
Now, to explain this I need to explain that I live in a village just south of Chelmsford that few people in Essex have heard of. And for those overseas, Chelmsford isn't a city many are familiar with so my stock response is 'around 30 miles north east of London'.
Anyway, he kept asking whereabouts and to cut the story short, it turned out this chap in the 90s played Cricket professionally and spent a few years at Essex County Cricket. Whilst there, he rented a house in the road I live in!!
Off-season in Northern France, we were the only two people in a small restaurant out in the sticks. Halfway through our meal, another couple came in and were shown to their seats, we exchanged smiles.
A while later, the chap smiled and said "You're a long way from home, then" (I should explain that I had/have a fairly broad Northern accent, despite living in the Midlands for 20+ years at that point). "Not as far as you may think" I replied "We're in the Midlands, actually"
"Ah - which bit?"
"Near Rugby"
"I know that area very well - which village?
"A tiny village near Dunchurch"
"I know Dunchurch very well - my best friend used to teach music at the school!" said his wife.
That'll be our neighbour Charmaine, then" I said
"Good grief - it is! We visited her last month!"
"Yes - I remember seeing your car"
Small world, as they say.
A while later, the chap smiled and said "You're a long way from home, then" (I should explain that I had/have a fairly broad Northern accent, despite living in the Midlands for 20+ years at that point). "Not as far as you may think" I replied "We're in the Midlands, actually"
"Ah - which bit?"
"Near Rugby"
"I know that area very well - which village?
"A tiny village near Dunchurch"
"I know Dunchurch very well - my best friend used to teach music at the school!" said his wife.
That'll be our neighbour Charmaine, then" I said
"Good grief - it is! We visited her last month!"
"Yes - I remember seeing your car"
Small world, as they say.
When I did my MBA in England I had a pal on the course who'd moved from Sydney to study in the UK. For context, I'm Scottish. When he finished the course he went backpacking in France. He met a bloke at a wine tour/tasting. When the bloke said he was from Scotland, my MBA pal asked if he knew me. The bloke did - we'd been pals since we were kids.
When I was 14, I had a half-baked idea to learn to play the guitar, so found a local tutor (who was supplementing his income tutoring as playing gigs with his band wasn't as regular an income), bought a cheap axe and spent about 3 months trying to learn. Deciding that it wasn't getting me anywhere down the road of being a rock god, I gave up and moved onto other ways of filling my formative years.
A couple years later, when I was 16 went to college and met a kid who lived close to my old instructor and knew him as his dad and my old instructor's dad were drinking buddies, to be expected really - they were on the same estate so probably went to the same local.
Fast forward another two years, and off I went to uni (in a completely different city), living in halls of residence, we were about half way through the first semester when a local girl came to live with us, we got talking one night about random stuff as you do, and she asked if I knew anyone who could transfer some songs off tape to CD for her, I said I'd have a go but she gave me a DAT rather than a regular tape, so this proved impossible for me to sort immediately
I remembered from years back that my old tutor had a DAT recorder, it was the only one I'd ever seen, so asked if she'd let me have the tape and I'd pay him a visit to see if he could put them onto CD for me. I couldn't just rock up there as it had been 4+ years since I'd last seen him and that was only for a few months, so I got back in touch with my college friend who set it up, then we dropped the tape round and came back in a few hours once the transfer was done.
A couple of hours later, we collected the freshly mastered CD, and my old tutor asked me where I'd got the tape from, I mentioned it was my uni flatmate who had it, and she'd asked to have the songs transferred, I queried why he asked and it turns out he was the songwriter, and it was his band performing on the DAT!
I'll never forget that small world / random coincidence moment!
A couple years later, when I was 16 went to college and met a kid who lived close to my old instructor and knew him as his dad and my old instructor's dad were drinking buddies, to be expected really - they were on the same estate so probably went to the same local.
Fast forward another two years, and off I went to uni (in a completely different city), living in halls of residence, we were about half way through the first semester when a local girl came to live with us, we got talking one night about random stuff as you do, and she asked if I knew anyone who could transfer some songs off tape to CD for her, I said I'd have a go but she gave me a DAT rather than a regular tape, so this proved impossible for me to sort immediately
I remembered from years back that my old tutor had a DAT recorder, it was the only one I'd ever seen, so asked if she'd let me have the tape and I'd pay him a visit to see if he could put them onto CD for me. I couldn't just rock up there as it had been 4+ years since I'd last seen him and that was only for a few months, so I got back in touch with my college friend who set it up, then we dropped the tape round and came back in a few hours once the transfer was done.
A couple of hours later, we collected the freshly mastered CD, and my old tutor asked me where I'd got the tape from, I mentioned it was my uni flatmate who had it, and she'd asked to have the songs transferred, I queried why he asked and it turns out he was the songwriter, and it was his band performing on the DAT!
I'll never forget that small world / random coincidence moment!
I checked into a Hilton in Long Island New York, was asked for ID and haded the chap behind the counter my driving licence. He asked where abouts in Yorkshire I was from and I said Bradford. He then asked which school I went to, so I told him. Turned out we went to the same boarding school in Bradford and had missed being there at the same time by a year, he showed me a load of school photos on his phone of my old teachers. He was originally from HK and emigrated to the US in the early 2000s. I've bumped into people from school over the years, but not in a small town in NY before.
A strange day.
Many years ago, I was on holiday with my parents in Cornwall. We were walking down towards the Lizard lighthouse.
I said hi to a boy coming the other way, my parents were a bit bemused... he was in my class.
Later we were looking at the outside menu of the cafe, a grinning face appeared at the door's window... it was my Uncle, (Dad's BIL) & we didn't even know they were on holiday.
So we spent the rest of the day with Aunty, Uncle & cousins.
Many years ago, I was on holiday with my parents in Cornwall. We were walking down towards the Lizard lighthouse.
I said hi to a boy coming the other way, my parents were a bit bemused... he was in my class.
Later we were looking at the outside menu of the cafe, a grinning face appeared at the door's window... it was my Uncle, (Dad's BIL) & we didn't even know they were on holiday.
So we spent the rest of the day with Aunty, Uncle & cousins.
Edited by Milkyway on Saturday 25th April 16:46
Back in the late 80s I lived in Amiens in Northern France. Obviously had friends and a social circle there.
Fast forward to 2024 and me and a mate were on a trail riding motorbike trip to Italy. We stopped off in Geneva to stay with a friend (also a PHer) and his wife.
During conversation they mentioned that they had been in Amiens visiting - I asked them why. Turned out that his wife had also been living there at the same time I was (we had overlapped by five or six months iirc) and she knew lots and lots of the same people I did, had been to the same peoples houses and social gatherings; it’s very likely indeed that we actually met back in the day, although I cannot recall after almost 40 years.
So a double coincidence there - to not only meet someone from the same place with mutual friends from so long ago, but who is also married to one of your mates.
Fast forward to 2024 and me and a mate were on a trail riding motorbike trip to Italy. We stopped off in Geneva to stay with a friend (also a PHer) and his wife.
During conversation they mentioned that they had been in Amiens visiting - I asked them why. Turned out that his wife had also been living there at the same time I was (we had overlapped by five or six months iirc) and she knew lots and lots of the same people I did, had been to the same peoples houses and social gatherings; it’s very likely indeed that we actually met back in the day, although I cannot recall after almost 40 years.
So a double coincidence there - to not only meet someone from the same place with mutual friends from so long ago, but who is also married to one of your mates.
When I was about 20 , over 40 years ago ! I was in a travel agent in Melbourne working out flights back to the UK. In the line of people behind me were an English couple and I chatted to them both a bit .
When I was 22 I bought a house it Tewksbury in Gloucester and the next door neighbours were .........
That is a coincidence .
When I was 22 I bought a house it Tewksbury in Gloucester and the next door neighbours were .........
That is a coincidence .
Was in Seattle. Got up early one morning to go to a bar where they were showing Premier League football, as Chelsea were playing. They're about 9 hours behind. When I arrived, there was a table of about 5 people in Chelsea shirts, so I introduced myself and sat with them.
At HT got chatting to a young woman and her boyfriend. She'd become a Chelsea fan some 10 years before, when she was 14. She'd gone to London to stay with her older cousin who was working in London, and he took her to a Chelsea game. It was the only game she'd been to, and she was immediately hooked. She got out her phone to show me a selfie she'd taken at the game, and quite clearly, in the row behind her and her cousin, was me and my son.
At HT got chatting to a young woman and her boyfriend. She'd become a Chelsea fan some 10 years before, when she was 14. She'd gone to London to stay with her older cousin who was working in London, and he took her to a Chelsea game. It was the only game she'd been to, and she was immediately hooked. She got out her phone to show me a selfie she'd taken at the game, and quite clearly, in the row behind her and her cousin, was me and my son.
Back in the summer 1977 at the height of Jubilee mania, as small nipper, I went on holiday to Padstow.
We stayed in a flat overlooking the harbour on the north quay. I had a back bedroom with a choice of a bunk bed or single bed.
There was that strange 'Love is....' wallpaper with the boy & girl.
Three years later in August/Sept 1980 we went on another holiday & stayed in exactly the same flat. I had the same bedroom & choice of bed.
They still had the same wallpaper.
Years later (mid 90s) I was working in Somerset & was invited to spend a few days down in Padstow with a mate & his girlfriend. He gave me the address of where they were staying, which looked somewhat familiar, but at the time the penny didn't drop....until I got there.
Guess which bedroom I ended up in? And they still hadn't changed the wallpaper
We stayed in a flat overlooking the harbour on the north quay. I had a back bedroom with a choice of a bunk bed or single bed.
There was that strange 'Love is....' wallpaper with the boy & girl.
Three years later in August/Sept 1980 we went on another holiday & stayed in exactly the same flat. I had the same bedroom & choice of bed.
They still had the same wallpaper.
Years later (mid 90s) I was working in Somerset & was invited to spend a few days down in Padstow with a mate & his girlfriend. He gave me the address of where they were staying, which looked somewhat familiar, but at the time the penny didn't drop....until I got there.
Guess which bedroom I ended up in? And they still hadn't changed the wallpaper
A couple I remember - was once on holiday with my parents as a kid and going around a National Trust property somewhere spotted a teacher from my school.
On holiday in Sorrento with my wife about 20 years ago we were eating in a small restaurant, next to us was a table of insufferably noisy Brits. Trying not to earwig on their conversation but it was very hard work! Turned out from his loud chat one of them had gone to the same school as me
On holiday in Sorrento with my wife about 20 years ago we were eating in a small restaurant, next to us was a table of insufferably noisy Brits. Trying not to earwig on their conversation but it was very hard work! Turned out from his loud chat one of them had gone to the same school as me
I got chatting to a girl, she chuckled & then said... "You look like my Dad".
She showed me a picture of him on her phone, I agreed & he was even wearing a T-shirt that I owned.
Then to rub salt into the wound... I worked with her Cousin & Cousin's BF.
(Rather killed the moment... but had a good laugh at work).
She showed me a picture of him on her phone, I agreed & he was even wearing a T-shirt that I owned.
Then to rub salt into the wound... I worked with her Cousin & Cousin's BF.
(Rather killed the moment... but had a good laugh at work).
Edited by Milkyway on Saturday 25th April 19:07
We were in a small hotel in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma a couple of years ago. Daughter had come second in the Ladies World Highland Games championship and the day after was he 21st. In the bar (the tender wouldn't serve her until after midnight) the rest of us were sat drinking and playing pool and a dog wandered in along with it's owners. We got chatting and said where we were from :
Near Darlington
Oh, we've just been near there
Whereabouts?
A little village near where my sister now lives, we ate in a restaurant, 'The Otter and Fish'
The restaurant which is next door but one to our house!!
(Their house had flooded whilst they'd been away in the UK and were staying in the hotel until it was fixed)
Near Darlington
Oh, we've just been near there
Whereabouts?
A little village near where my sister now lives, we ate in a restaurant, 'The Otter and Fish'
The restaurant which is next door but one to our house!!
(Their house had flooded whilst they'd been away in the UK and were staying in the hotel until it was fixed)
I used to work in sales for a company that had a small European sales team. The guy who lived in Belgium would talk to anyone, especially if they were English, mainly so that he could explain that he worked for an English company. He was strangely proud of this fact!
Two of my dad's colleagues were on a visit to a supplier in Belgium. They stopped at a service area and sat down to have a coffee in the restaurant. A Belgian chap heard them talking and struck up a conversation. He explained he worked for an English company based in Oxfordshire, as did they. A bit more drilling down and they established that they worked with my dad and that I was Crazy Bob the Belgian's colleague!
Two of my dad's colleagues were on a visit to a supplier in Belgium. They stopped at a service area and sat down to have a coffee in the restaurant. A Belgian chap heard them talking and struck up a conversation. He explained he worked for an English company based in Oxfordshire, as did they. A bit more drilling down and they established that they worked with my dad and that I was Crazy Bob the Belgian's colleague!
A couple of years ago Mrs Caziques and I got off the Eurostar in Lille, so we could visit the war grave of a great uncle of mine.
Went to the hotel, and back to the station to get Mrs Caziques a coffee at it was a Sunday afternoon.
Walking through the concourse I thought i recognised someone going the other way, we both turned round - I went up to him and said "it is you isn't it?"
A old customer of mine from Christchurch New Zealand - I had fitted his complete underfloor heating system a few years before, he'd wired up the heat pump as he was an electrician.
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