Can't Be Chocked-Up to Coincidence

Have you ever had something daze you, on and off, for days?  

An impossible occurance you can’t chock up to coincidence?

It happened to me a few days ago.  It’s so bizarre! I had to put it in writing to see if I could make sense of it.  I’ll tell it in story form because it’s the only way I can look back on it, looking from the outside in.

I volunteer at Liberty Street Robot Supply and Repair.  I’d been there awhile and was ready for my second cup of coffee.  The first cup, Hannah Rose, an intern at 826 Michigan, bought for me.  

I had been working, in the store, for two hours and needed a second cup. I couldn’t do without it. I brought a multi-grain roll, split open and smooshed with goat cheese, for lunch.  I had to have coffee to savor it completely. 

I went over to Elixir Vitae.  There was a young woman at the counter, who was reaching over to get her coffee, from the barista. 

Five-foot-one, petite with light brown hair.  Her hair was pulled back in a loose pony tail at her neck.  She had on a greenish, tweed-colored scarf, wrapped several times around her small neck, matching her warm-looking sweater.  She had on boots and jeans.

Being petite and of short stature doesn’t exactly describe this woman.  She had a dignified, imposing stature.  She took up much more space than her tininess suggested.  It was almost like she was two hundred pounds heavier and two feet taller.  Someone not to mess with, but in a gentle kind of way, like a cute gorilla.  You might like how they want to touch your hair, but you don’t want to tick them off! 

She explained to the barista she’d be working there all day.  “Could you put me on a tab?”  He nodded in agreement.

I walked up to the counter and said, “I’ll pay for her coffee.”  I don’t know why I said that.  The only reason I can think of, is she reminded me of my daughter, Elizabeth.  A LOT!  Elizabeth is extremely busy teaching, studying, writing grants and reestabliishing a new dwelling. Inbetween, she finds time to work out, sleep and eat. 

Ann Elizabeth

“Oh, you don’t have to do that!” She smiled, an engaging, sincere, sweet smile. Like Elizabeth. (Not an automatic smile. The kind of smile you know has been put on reserve and not wasted on trivial, social interactions.

“No, I want to,” I said, “You remind me of my daughter, Elizabeth.  She’s busy writing grants right now. She budgets her time to get everything done.”

“My name is Elizabeth,” she said, in surpise.  

“Well, my daughter’s first name is Ann, her middle name is Elizabeth.”

“My middle name is Ann!!” She laughed, “And I was just talking to my mom on the phone, just a second ago.”  We were both amazed by the coincidences.

Many more parallels came to light as we talked. 

• Both received their master’s degree at University of Chicago
• Both hate the cold winters of Michigan
• Both live or are from the Los Angeles area
• Both are studying Anthropology (This girl’s study is Linguistics Anthropology)
• They both took three years off, before beginning graduate work 
• This girl lived in Barcelona for three years before returning to resume study  
•        Elizabeth lived in Istanbul for three years and did the same. 
• Elizabeth was on a marathon of writing grants, at Elixir Vitae. My Elizabeth is currently running the marathon-of-grants, too

While we talked, Elizabeth Ann held her cup in both hands, by her chest, elbows against her body, as if putting her hands over a warm fire. Just like my Ann Elizabeth!

I dislike my mind going to “There must be another dimension, somehow, that we don’t know about.”  Whatever causes something like this to happen, I do love it.  It gave me my Elizabeth, in a way, for awhile.  She was there.  I saw it from both sides. 

Elizabeth, Deep in thought and Study

Someday, I hope a stranger-mother,  will buy my daughter a cup of coffee or tea and thank her for reminding her of her child.  Then the circle will continue.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yjxWfyxpqY        Circles-Harry Chapin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAesnTAHpVM    Both Sides Now- Joni Mitchell