One in a Million

I think many of you have heard of a theory outlining Six Degrees of Separation or the Small World Experiment. Here is my corollary: the You Can't Go Anywhere Phenomena.

Three examples follow. (By the way I am currently in the Belfast International Airport just musing about the world.)

1. The China Town Event

Many years ago when the family went our west (Canada that is) for my uncle's wedding we took advantage of the trip to go all the way to the west coast. We visited Vancouver, drove through the mountains, and visited with my other aunt and uncle in Kamloops. The strange event happened in Vancouver in what I remember as Chinatown. I remember going into a store to look at some things and stumbling across my cousin and neighbor from Nova Scotia sitting in the back of the store in a wicker chair. It turned out she was there as part of a church group trip. I'm not sure my parents knew she was there but I certainly didn't. (The memory of this event may be a little off since it was over twenty years ago, but this is how I remember it.)

2. The Clermont Connection

I am on my way to Clermont in France for some meetings but one of the last times I went I was surprised by a call from my colleague when I arrived at the hotel. It turned out he had arrived a little after I did but his room wasn't ready. He suggested I come down and meet his "new" friend form Canada (as if we all know each other). I went down and met the gentlemen. After we talked for a while it turned out he knew of where I lived. In fact his brother in law lived just around the corner. His brother in law was also my wife's cousin (not first cousin but still...). It also came about that we had met a few week's earlier at a family gathering. There were so many people there neither he nor I recognized each other when we first saw each other in Clermont. He was in Clermont for work as well and we did have supper later in the week before heading back to Canada (where my American colleague still believes we all either know each other or are related).

3. The Ireland Encounter

Today I check in for my flight to Paris after having made certain my other colleague met up with his wife who was flying in to do spend a few days touring. Just as I am heading up to security I recognize a couple of little fellows. They look a lot like Isabelle's friends form home. Once I see the mother and father I realize they are neighbors form South Carolina and live just up the street from us. They were just headed home from a trip to Ireland. We chatted a few minutes and wished each other a good trip.

I guess the point I'm making is: It's a very small world, so keep an eye out, you never know who you might see.