Synchronicity over dinner
What with one thing and another, I ended up leaving my father's place this evening around quarter to eight. I was driving on dark wet cold unfamiliar streets, without having had much food since breakfast.
But I ate an Odwalla bar and made it to Seattle in about 45 minutes. I made my way to Capitol Hill, found parking, and went to the little taqueria (upstairs in the Alley) where I often go when I'm at loose ends in Seattle; I first went there during Clarion (13 years ago now!), and it's always comforting to find it still there.
I was the only customer in the place. My food arrived and I started eating, while reading the December Asimov's on my Palm. I was vaguely aware that two other people had come in and sat down nearby. Then a voice said, "Jed? Is that you?"
It was Johnzo and Victoria, having a quick dinner before heading off to see a movie. So I moved over to their table and we had a very pleasant chat. Johnzo reminded me that he had my copy of Language of the Night, which I left at the Colony House on the Oregon coast a while back and he picked up for me; I'm hoping to stop by and get that back tomorrow. We also worked out that he'd met a college friend of mine while working at Amazon. Victoria reminded me that she knew a different college friend of mine, a fact I'd completely forgotten. Teen tiny world.
Anyway, in addition to enjoying their company, I was also pleased that the long series of happenstances that had led me to be at that particular place at that particular time had such a nice unanticipated result.
Somehow I always forget that there are a bunch of cool sf folks in Seattle. Maybe next trip I'll take an extra day or two and try to make time to see them.
Here's where I would talk about visiting the impressive Museum of Glass with my father today, only I'm exhausted and need to go sleep. So, another time.
