Meetings

When I raced out of the office yesterday afternoon, late for a meeting, I forgot to take with me the crack-of-dawn train tickets I need to get to a meeting on Monday. So today I had to borrow some office keys from a colleague which meant  cycling to a different part of town. While there I thought I’d have a look at the farmer’s market – where I was surprised to spot a student I first met four weeks ago who is volunteering where I work. As we were chatting I noticed that I was standing next to an Iranian refugee who I haven’t seen for ages but who cooked for my 50th birthday party and whom I helped set up his catering business nine years ago. So we caught up too and he introduced me to his baby daughter. Next I realised that the person selling me vegetables was the farmer I met eighteen years ago when I organised children’s visits to his farm. Finally, on my way out I met someone from the choir we both sing in who had a message for me. No, not finally. I was cycling back to the other side of town and I realised that Bundle was waving to me from the pavement, so I stopped and we had a chat too.

Strange – I can spend days and days not bumping into anyone I know then on a bright spring Saturday it’s as if I know everyone in the world.

I didn’t know these two though.