Coincidences abound!

For some time now, I've been noticing this "other" red Crown Victoria ('95 model) running around my lil' town.

Yesterday-- I was stunned to see it at the gas pump when I pulled in to gas up! I got out of my car and the young man looked up and all I could think of was... "nice car!" He grinned and said, "Yeah, yours too!"

As I was gassing up I wondered if his car had similar "issues" as mine. So- I asked him. "Hey! How many miles you got on yours"" and he replied that it was over 250k. Mine only has 183k or so; so there was a good chance that they did have the same transmission problems. I asked him that- and he said "Yeah! Like between 60 and 70 it shimmys!" Mine does that between 30 and 40 and apparently it's not uncommon with that year model.

He continued, "I have a '72 Chevy pickup; but, my dad gave me this when I was having to commute to Hope." How weird is that? My car is a recylce from my Dad to my sister and then to me! He said "We call mine the Grandpa car!" and yet again- I've referred to mine as the "Grandma car" ever since Scott N. made that comment driving home from the movies one night!

He looked at mine and said "Yours is looking a lot better than mine." It does and I was thinking that's because I've not let a teenager drive mine much! When he say "Nice meeting you- my name's Jesse Patch" I was so stunned! I asked "J-E-S-S-E?" and he nodded and I said that's my child's name!

Then, before he left he said "I'm the assistant manager at Pizza Hut, look me up when you come in there!" and I was so shocked! I live just around the corner from the Pizza Hut!

Life's like that! So many parallels. So many coincidences. They are fun and surprising when you've driven past them time and time again and finally have the opportunity to stop and just make casual exchange! And... it's more than pleasant when for a while I'd seen that car and seen the young men in their ski caps and thought they just looked like a bunch of young hooligans- only to find out they are just going to school and making a buck at the local pizza joint.

I love my hand-me-down sedan. It's a joy to drive and now it'll blink it's headlights at the "twin" car in town!