Yesterday around noon I found myself walking north on 18th Street on my way home. The day hadn’t gotten dark or breezy yet, and so people were everywhere, draped over all available Rittenhouse Square real estate and occupying every outdoor table at Devon and Rouge. As I approached those two restaurants, a thought flashed through my head, which was, “I wonder if I’ll run into Sabrina.” Sabrina is married to my cousin Dan and is the mother of the adorable and easy-going Derek (who is now three and a half months old).
I hadn’t walked more than another four or five steps when I looked up and realized that Sabrina was in fact sitting at one of those outdoor tables, having lunch with a couple of her girlfriends. Derek was parked along side, peacefully watching people walk by from under the shade of his stroller. I stopped and chatted for a couple of minutes, gently rocking the stroller back and forth when Derek started fussing a little.
After a little while I continued on, not wanting to interfere with their lunch too much. For the rest of my walk home, I was a little giddy from the glee of having been in the right place and time to experience a moment of synchronicity.
I love when that happens! I don’t know too many people in Philly, but it has happened in the oddest places here. Last week I had a nice dream where I was visitng with a friend I hadn’t heard from in a long while and five minutes after I woke up he called. I spent the first part of the phone call making sure I wasn’t still in the dream!
Happy Birthday a little bit late!
Wendy, the longer you live in Philly, the more often it will happen. I run into people I know all the time, although I don’t always have the same thought of “wouldn’t it be funny if I saw…” just before I see them the way I did with Sabrina.