The Hungry Hungry Writer

Some odd things have happened to me this week. People have said it before: the world is small. Well, the miles and miles and miles we cover in our lifetime, sometimes along the path there’s a person from your past that you run into, and you have to wonder why this happens.

Just recently I dove head first into golf. It has become an obsession. Those who play understand, those who don’t play you should – you’re missing out. A good friend of mine, Chip, has been playing for years. I don’t have a lot of close friends that play golf but he’s one of them that does. And he’s a good player. Well, I ran into him at the driving range and we hit balls together. No big deal really. I mean, we live in the same town and we’d probably run into each other at the range eventually. That was a couple of weeks ago.

On Good Friday I got out of work early and headed to the golf store in North Hollywood. As I drove in, my friend Chip was driving out. I waved him down and he met me in the store. It was such a chance meeting and a good one because I convinced him to play a round of 9 holes with me since I was out of work. We headed to the local ‘pitch & put’ and had our 9, had a snack and a beer, and talked about golf. It was great!

On Easter my son got me off the couch after watching The Masters and we went to the driving range. Who was there? Chip!

Then, on Monday, I was getting off the freeway and as I was getting off, who was getting on? Chip! I honked at him, he called my cell and we laughed about our fourth chance meeting in just a couple of weeks. I told him that it was a sign that we should be playing more golf together.

Odd? Cool? A sign? I’d like to think it’s more than a coincidence at this point. But here’s what got me to really think about this.

Back in the early 90s I owned a comic book store in San Gabriel, CA. I was fresh out of college and I was running my own business. I hired a college student, Dennis, who was smart, funny, and up-to-date on all the great comic books being written. He worked the store, wrote reviews of comic books for the newsletter, and became a pretty good friend. He left for San Francisco to attend College and on occasion sent a review of comic books I sent him - which I printed in the store newsletter. We lost contact after a while and I figured I’d never see him again.

In April of 2000 I was working in Pasadena just two blocks away from a comic book store. I decided to start a collection for my newborn son so I ventured in and who was managing the store? Dennis! We caught up on the past as I came in to visit every other week to chat and to buy comic books. Dennis left the store some time in 2003 to work for Starbucks and I stopped purchasing comic books, and again, we went our separate ways.

I work in the valley now – the Encino area. San Gabriel is about 30 miles away from my office. Pasadena is about 25 miles away from here. And because of my kitchen remodel process, I can’t make coffee in the morning, so I stop at the Starbucks coffee on my way to work. I’ve been doing this for about four weeks now. Today, I was in line when I heard someone call my name. Who behind the counter would know my name? I’m a regular but not by name. And I looked and I was shocked to see… Dennis – the manager of the local Starbucks!

Now this is weird. From San Gabriel to Pasadena and now Encino. Three separate locations within 30 miles from point to point!

How could this be possible? I’m sure this has happened to people before. But the oddness of this situation is the two people I know that I have run into multiple times versus the many other people I know that I haven’t run into multiple times! Why these two people? Why now? Why has this happened in the past two weeks?

Here’s the weirdest thing of all. Chip and Dennis both worked for me at my comic book store in San Gabriel.

Is it a sign? I’d like to think so. But what’s the meaning? God, I hope it doesn’t mean I have to start buying comic books again! Oh wait – it could just mean I need to play golf more, and invest in Starbucks stock! I guess it could mean whatever you want it to mean.

All three of us are doing completely different things than we were doing back in 1992 when I owned that comic book store. But meeting these two friends out of the blue just makes me wonder; Is it just a coincidence or is there something more to it than that? Is the world really that small?

I’m going to try and find out.

I need a vacation.

Why? Because it sucks.