Bay Area Magic

On two different occasions now, I have experienced what I've decided to call "Bay Area Magic". What I'm referring to, here, is the odd kind of coincidences that have only happened on these two trips to NoCal - very odd, but kinda cool.

The first occasion was back in August of 2004. On that trip, I was traveling out to meeting up with then-boyfriend David, who lived (still does, in fact!) in northern CA. I was flying into Oakland and from there, we would spend 4 days making our way down the coast (via the 101) and finally ending up in the Burbank area, where I would leave from to head back to Texas.

On that trip, when I arrived at the airport in the morning to board my flight on an unnamed airline that is a competitor to my current employer, I was given a random upgrade to first class. Upon boarding the flight to PHX (where I would connect to OAK), I found myself sitting next to a former coworker, Jason, who I hadn't seen in months and months. RANDOM COINCIDENCE #1. We had a great time on that flight chatting and catching up...

Once I got to CA on that trip, David picked me up and we headed down the road. We got about 90 minutes south of San Jose and stopped for lunch at a Subway. While at Subway, my phone rang, and it was an AFROTC friend, Justin, that I hadn't seen/talked to in many, many months. He was stationed in CA at the time and was heading back to his base after a weekend in NoCal. I joked that since we were heading down the 101 and he was heading down the 101, maybe I'd see him on the highway.

It was just a joke, people. I'm sure you know where this is going... David and I finished up with lunch and got back on the road. About 45 minutes later, a blue Ford Taurus came up behind us and then passed on the left. I looked over...and my heart almost stopped. I knew that car! It was Justin! Pulled out my cell phone, called him back, and we had a little roadside reunion. What the hell are the chances of going to another state and someone you know passing you on the highway? RANDOM COINCIDENCE #2.

There's something nagging in the back of my mind that there was a third such incident on that trip, but I quite honestly can't remember. I'll have to ask David the next time we talk...his memory is better than mine. So for now, on to today's trip to the magical Bay Area.

I arrived at the airport super early, and we all know that I just ain't a morning person. No how, no way, no thank you. While the plane was boarding, I thought I saw someone that I recognized out of the corner of my eye, but ignored it. While on the plane, I forgot about it. And, really, tried to forget that I was on the plane, despite my super-chatty row companion who just IGNORED the fact that I was trying to sleep and then read.

Upon deplaning in SJC, I got a better glimpse at the person I'd seen while boarding in DFW - a former coworker, Dennis, who I haven't seen in at least a couple years. Alas, I called his name, but he was moving pretty quickly by the time I said it and he never heard me. I'm quite sure it was him, however, and he's already been sent an email ragging on him for ignoring me! RANDOM COINCIDENCE #3.

Finally, my last eerie run-in. After our Joint Leadership Team meeting, we got back to the airport and while my co-consultant and I went through security, the GM went to park her car. As we stood inside security waiting for her to get back so we could grab some lunch, I saw someone heading down the concourse that I knew...Don, Patti's husband, Chris' uncle. I'm pretty sure that I gave him a heart attack when I called out his name...he'd just arrived on a flight from Dallas for a business trip, and was headed out to collect his baggage. I'm pretty sure I'm the last person he expected to see there...he joked that since he'd moved to Wichita for the Army a few months ago, wouldn't it just figure that he'd have to come to CA instead of TX to actually see family! We had a nice little 5 minute chat before he headed off to catch up with the people he was traveling with and I headed to lunch with my coworkers. Fun times...and RANDOM COINCIDENCE #4.

So there you have it...I never have those kinds of run-ins anywhere else, and I travel frequently and have been to 41 of 50 states. So it must be...Bay Area Magic!