Providence Smiles Upon Me

What are the chances of something like this happening?

I was driving on the PA turnpike, coming home from my month away.   A text comes in on my cell phone:  “Do you by chance drive a white accord?”

I look closer and see the text is from Big Al.  Big Al is my dear friend of 35 years.  Though we communicate regularly via email, we live hundreds of miles apart and haven’t seen each other in probably 6 years.

“Yep,” I reply.

He responds, “Thought so.    You drive entirely too fast.   I was behind you when traffic was stopped around Somerset.”

“Dang,” I type back, and a moment later my cell phone rings.  It’s Big.  Turns out he is driving a red Nissan Altima which he has rented for a business trip to Washington, DC.   I remember that car.  It was the car directly behind me when I was briefly stopped in traffic due to roadwork, but I never noticed the driver.

Not surprisingly with it being so unlikely, it took Big a few moments to connect the VA license plate with the person driving the vehicle in front of him who looks oddly familiar.  But by that time, I am bolting down the road, making up for lost time on my way to see my younger daughter.  Big tries valiantly to catch me, but it is to no avail.

He turns off at Breezewood, thinking perhaps he’ll catch up with me there.   He doesn't, and so hits the gas again on Route 70, but I’m nowhere to be found.   That is in part because I’m not going straight home and am not on 70; I’ve continued east on the turnpike towards my daughter’s college. 

Finally, not wanting to get a ticket, he gives up and sends me the text.   I can’t believe it.

But in the end, it all works out.  Big is going to be staying at the Hyatt in the Reston Town Center which is right in my back yard.  We have lunch together at Il Fornaio’s, and it is so very good to see him.  He is doing well, and that makes my heart glad.

Guys are funny creatures.   We can not see someone for years, but when we do see them, it is like no time has elapsed at all.  After lunch we give each other a big hug and once again go our separate ways, not knowing when our paths will cross again but knowing that somewhere, sometime, they surely will.

Comments

[Jennifer Wigton]

Thats neat! Bern, Missy, Zeta and I are having dinner next weekend - we do a GNO (girls nite out) once a year and its the same with us. Great to get together and catch up! Is it still Big Al and Lady Di?

[Sallie]

AWESOME! So glad you shared that. It made me smile and think of my BF that I haven't seen for 12 years. Maybe someday... :-}

[steve mobley]

I remember a certain race back to your house in Monroeville when you drove a certain Pinto... seems to me you also CHEATED! LOL, this story made me smile. I'm glad you and Big had a reunion. Also glad God was merciful and neither of you got a ticket. Not that I'm judging... (he writes, thinking of his MR2 Spyder parked in the garage... which is for sale btw. My own midlife crisis is over!)

[Peter]

Hello Rob

I saw your post on providence and it seemed wholly appropriate to say hello again!

Not sure if you remember me but we became acquainted through the blogosphere ... i had a blog called ''monsoonpoint'' .... mainly about photography.

Glad to see you are still blogging and yes it seems like just yesterday that I used to read your blog. Have you written that ''book'' yet?

Anyway, thought I'd say hello and I hope you and yours are keeping well.

Regards

Peter