Tuesday, May 11, 2010

What a coincidence!

Saturday I stopped at a yard sale and bought a lovely coffee table book, (big enough to clunk an intruder, and heavy enough to break a toe if it fell off the table). St. Louis For the Record is published by the Regional Commerce and Growth Association. It is a lovely book with pictorial and written accounts of the businesses and people of St. Louis.

When my daughter and her fiancee stopped by, Dave was delighted to see his place of business as it looked years ago. He was pointing out things about his work to my daughter. Watching him made me think of a time last year when my 36 year old son came over with a handful of hotrod postcards and photos. "Look what I found at a yard sale. I love these old cars. The old lady even threw in these mini cards. She said they were her son's."

I took one look and recognized right away that the small ones were not postcards, but actual photos. In the 60's they came attached to the original snapshot; back when film had to be processed and printed. They were small duplicates you could cut off and share with someone. As I looked through them, I realized that they were photos of actual cars taken at the car shows that used to be held at The Keil Auditorium in St. Louis in the 1960's - hot rods my son's dad used to covet. It was a blast from the past as I flipped through a handful of these tiny photos. And then, I saw it. I ran to the study for a magnifying glass. The photographer who had been taking a picture of a hot rod, caught a couple standing on the other side of the car. Yes, it was us. I recognized the dress and teased hair before I could actually make out my features.

Did you ever have such a coincidence?

11 comments:

BECKY said...

Linda, that is Unbelievable!! I have never had anything that Cosmic happen to me!!

Whenever I AM at yard sales or flea markets and I see old Nancy Drew books, I always flip through them to see if MY name might be written inside them, or someone I knew! I will be thrilled if that ever happens!! How fun for you!

Donna Volkenannt said...

Hi Linda,
Wow. Your story gave me chills.
I had an unusual coincidence at a book fair in St. Peters several years ago. My sister Kathleen and I were looking for book bargains. We went our separate way and wandered among stacks of books. I picked up a copy of a Latin I textbook, the kind I used as a freshman in high school. I thumbed through a few pages and then flipped to the front and discovered the book belonged to the boy who took me to the eighth-grade dance on the Admiral in St. Louis. We lost track of each other. He went to a different high school, and I moved to the county. I had heard he was killed in Vietnam. Seeing his name in print gave me chills. I ran over and told my sister, who couldn't believe it, either. Unfortunately I put the book down and roamed around the auditorium. When I went back to find it, the book was gone, but I said a prayer for him. Maybe it was a sign? Who knows?

Susan said...

That was a riot, Linda. You must have been so shocked. There were postcards of a local beach that were actually pictures taken by a newspaper photographer. They were selling here for a dollar each. I was looking at one of the beach and spotted my father, as a fairly young dad, sitting on the beach. That was my moment of OMG! Can you believe I didn't BUY that postcard that day? I have tried in desperation to locate it again but never have. "He who hesitates is lost." Sincerely, Susan

Pat Wahler said...

Goodness! What an amazing story! I'm expecting to see that little tale submitted somewhere soon!

Pat
www.critteralley.blogspot.com

Tammy said...

Ditto above! I don't think I've ever had a coincidence like that. Amazing story that I enjoyed reading!

Lynn said...

Wow, that's awesome. I love when things like that happen.

Linda O'Connell said...

Becky,
Wouldn't it be cool to find one of your own books!

Linda O'Connell said...

Donna, Your story gave ME chills. Wow, what a coincidence. I do believe in signs/messages.

Linda O'Connell said...

Susan, I can only imagine how you regretted not buying that picture!

Linda O'Connell said...

Lynn, Tammy, and Pat,
Yes it was really incredible, one of those unbelievable moments.

Lisa Ricard Claro said...

Nothing like that has happened to me that I can recall off the top of my head. Would sure love it if it did, though.