A Coincidence? Fate?

[mrdreamjeans]

What's in a coincidence? I had an odd meeting yesterday. It harkens back to July 4th when I was flying home from Minneapolis. At the Chicago airport, I had a 6 hour layover. As I was flying Southwest, I was the first person lined up for Group B boarding. I had two guys, to my eye a Gay couple, in line behind me. We chatted as strangers do, just because we were in line. When we boarded the plane to Houston, we went our separate ways.

Yesterday, I was at Home Depot here in Brenham picking up cypress mulch and ant granules, when I saw one of the guys from the line at Chicago Midway getting into his pickup. My next stop was Wal-Mart; I shopped for a few items on the list and got in line at the self-checkout ...... behind the two guys from the line in Chicago. I said, "Aren't you the guys from the Southwest line?" (I know, I know ... a scintillating opener:) They looked startled and then recognized me and said yes. So we chatted again while we checked out, exchanging names.

Chuck of Chris and Chuck asked me what my last name was. When I replied, Chuck said, "Did you do theatre ... musicals at Texas A&M in the 1970s?" I replied yes. He remembered seeing me as John Judas in "Godspell" in 1974 while he too was a student at A&M (an accurate memory). He said he still has the program at home. Lordy! LOL! The guys gave me their phone number and address. They live in a neighboring community, New Ulm, Texas on a ranch, but also maintain a home in Houston. Now I ask ... Is this a coincidence? Fate? Or a meeting for a reason? Odd things like this happen to me all the time. Time will tell .... I've gone from knowing no Gay men in my community to three in just three weeks.

Comments

[apparentparadox]

In my world view, it happened for a reason. I mean, Chuck remembering you from seeing a production of Godspell in the 70s? That's one hell of a coincidence.

I'm thinking that it's to show you that you have something about you that people remember & are attracted to. Maybe the reason the whole thing happened is to remind you of that.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

I don't know if what you say is true, but it makes me feel good to think that I "have something about (me) that people remember and are attracted to". Your words brightened my day. Thank You ....

[bradferd23.livejournal.com]

Go with it... I think you have loads to offer friends and sometimes things happen for reasons we may not even know.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

I've been very isolated here in Brenham from the Gay community. Perhaps, I'm supposed to know there are others close by ....

[ciddyguy.livejournal.com]

Wow, that is something.

I am inclinded to agree that it was meant to be but also may be partly a coincidence.

And I've had that similar experience yesterday. I was about to leave the QFC at the south end of Broadway when I ran into Rob, the guy I first met at the K-Mart back in Dec and again at my QFC in Feb. He recalled me, but forgot my name.

Sadly, again, no numbers were exchanged as neither of us were optimally employed at the moment - be being employed while I am at the moment, not.

I hope it doesn't take months before we run into each other again. :-)

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

I'm curious ... What does exchanging numbers have to be with being employed? Seems to me there would be more time to get to know a person ...

[ciddyguy.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure but that's what I got the feeling of, although nothing's been said by either of us as to why that is.

It could just be that we havn't done so for no particular reason at all.

[backawayslowly.livejournal.com]

small world! cool story.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Small world indeed! Btw, I'm living through you vicariously right now. You've had lots of fun things happening in your life. Let's hear it for the Front Row Bitches! HUGS!

[carharttmo.livejournal.com]

very small world.. go for it.. as others have said.. you have a lot to offer!

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Thanks, my friend ... The trip to the Twin Cities recharged my batteries and I'm dealing with Dad's challenges much better than I was before. A month ago, I didn't know any other "family" members in the area. First my former co-worker came out to me; then I ran into these guys three times and yesterday, I met my Dad's physical therapy team for his cardiac rehab. I think the head of the dept is a lesbian and there's definitely a bear cub working for her. We'll see if that's true ... but I liked them so much (and my Gaydar was ringing off the hook), I hope it's so:)

[pbehr.livejournal.com]

Some best friends can come from airport meetings.

In 1974, I was flying back to Toronto from Vancouver. We had just boarded when they announced there was a mechanical that would take a while and we would have to leave the plane. I was sitting with a man and a woman who turned out to be Peter and Susan, both from Toronto as well. The three of us headed off to the bar and had a great time for four hours. By the time we got back to Toronto we all decided we wanted to see each other again and Susan invited Peter and me (but not her boyfriend, who turned out to be someone I knew from high school days) over for dinner a couple of weeks later. We had a good time at dinner but never saw each other again.

Until.

Four years ago, in Victoria, I was sitting down in my theatre seat one night, and Peter was sitting in front of me. I tapped him on the shoulder and said, "Peter?" He turned around and said, "Hello, Brian. I saw you from the pub as you came into the theatre."

We've been the best of friends ever since.

So do follow up on your new-found airport friends. :-)

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

What a great story!! I also think great friends can be found on the internet and Live Journal! :) HUGS!

[kjvbear.livejournal.com]

to me it sounds like a lot more than just coincidence Neil, you were supposed to meet these people.

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

I guess so ... Must be fate ... Just like I was supposed to get to know you:) Hugs!

Ha!

[tkn1114.livejournal.com]

WalMart $ ---> GOP, Target $ ---> Dems = good point. Thanks for the reminder :0)

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

If I have a choice, I shop Target. Unfortunately, our town of 12,000 only has a Wal-Mart ... and a poor one at that. The closest Target is 45 miles away. Consequently, I try to make Democrat choices while shopping at Wal-Mart.

If this meeting wasn't coincidence, then it must be fate ...

I'm jealous of Bob ... that should have been me getting to meet you and spend time with you:)

HUGS!

And God said...

[tkn1114.livejournal.com]

"Time for a 3-way, son!" :0)

Leave it to Neil to tell this kind of story the way only he can tell it. A+. I know writers who crave to spin all kinds of tales from a base story like this. Think about that...

. "Serendipity" may be a word in vogue but fate is valid. Even if this kind of things happens all the time, the fact that you've lived there pretty much all your life, yet, have gone from "knowing no gay men in my community to 3 in just 3 weeks" is remarkable. There's something there... what, only time will tell. Why now? God says 3-ways, I tell you! LOL

. That Chuck remembers you from that long ago is no better testimony of your celebrity status - so, never whine about THAT! I mean, this was before the (gay) dinosaurs roamed the TX prairies, was'nt it? :0)

. That Chuck still has the program of a show from over 1/4 of a century ago *and* remembers you from it makes me wanna meet him. For, no unsentimental being shall have this sort of possession, or mindset.

. Where the hell is New Ulm, TX? And what do they do there? I'm jealous that you may well be sitting on some of the still unearthed Brokeback Mtn stories of small-town TX which I shall miss once in glamorous NYC. So, explore them!

. "We chatted as strangers do, just because we were in line" - I love that line. There is a sort of fleeting romanticism to that *nothingness* which I can't really explain, but those who travel who will understand by their own experiences.

Well done! Not even Berkeley can come up with this good a post! Gnar, gnar, gnar, gnar

Re: And God said...

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

If I'm a Gay dinosaur, then I'm a G-Rex:)!

New Ulm is in Austin County. It's a small town in the northwest corner, close to Washington, County where I now reside. It's farm country, has a few charming historic buildings and lots of expensive horse farms. I used to write about it frequently when I was covering Commissioners Court for The Sealy News. The four commissioners represent Sealy, Waller, Bellville and New Ulm/Industry. Sealy is the largest city in the county at about 5500 people:)

Thanks for your kind words and the injection of humor ... something I miss ... something I sometimes don't recognize quickly enough because I'm set on serious mode.

HUGS!!

God said "PS to G-Rex"

[tkn1114.livejournal.com]

G-Rex on serious mode? No possibile, maestra! My darling, we will always laugh because comes a point we realize that the only drama worth a spit belongs on stage. In real life, it is only valid if it's cause to make you cry, not angry. Laughter, otoh, belongs everywhere - Fortune cookie # I don't even know anymore

Funny, your a stranger who's come here.....

[redbearmark.livejournal.com]

(Strains of Jules Styne's melody fill my head - while Robert Goulet sings The Happy Time on XM)

How lovely to have people to meet and then find they are locals!

Gay men in Texas? What next? Gay Marriage?

Hope your endeavours are pleasant and things are working out for you.

Never in a million years

[xlinebackerbear.livejournal.com]

Howdy--
I'm a LJ lurker here in Houston. Just scan and read others LJ's from work periodically when things here get out of control. I ran across yours while browsing others and thought to myself that you looked somewhat familiar. Never in a million years did I think that my brain was working so well. I was a Fish at TAMU in 1974 and was very closeted at the time....although I did check out the t-rooms periodically. I saw Godspell 2 or 3 times while you were performing in it. I wanted so badly to meet you at the time......WOOF. I actually just threw out the program about 6 months ago when we were doing a major house cleaning. That is just too weird.

Anyway, wanted to say Howdy. My husbearcub and I live in Westbury in SW Houston and I've got some friends in the Belleville area. Someday we should meet....we love Brenham and that area.

Re: Never in a million years

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

WOW! *shaking head* This really is a coincidence ... Godspell was my stage debut ... Who knew people actually saw me on stage and liked the work:) As to being very closeted at that time ... Who wasn't:)? I was in Singing Cadets and hadn't even experimented until we were on a tour in New Orleans and that wasn't with anyone connected to the group. I'm still not out to other members from that group and time. It is just too weird that two men in the past month recall me from that long ago production.

I spend a lot of time in Westbury because that's where my good friend Casey works and lives nearby. I wonder if we've ever met in the succeeding years at the BRB or other gathering places. I haven't live in Houston since 1994, though I still refer to it as home.

By the way ... any pictures to see if I recognize you? Thanks for saying hello and reading my posts ....

Re: Never in a million years

[xlinebackerbear.livejournal.com]

Yes it is quite a coincidence. On my levels that one. It brings back memories I haven't thought of in MANY MANY years.

First off, yes you were quite good in your stage debut. I just wish I had had the courage to try and speak to you after the performances I went to. I remember the theatre and everything quite well.

Fortunately or unfortunately, A&M did have places on campus to "experiment" in those days. Not the best, but it is all we had.

I've got a couple of shots I can share with you.

BTW I wonder if I know the Singing Cadet you experimented with *wink*. A good friend of mine was in the Singing Cadets. Hell if I remember his name now......too many years have passed since them.

Thanks for replying and thanks for the great journal.

Re: Never in a million years

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

Ah yes .... the days of the Academic Building and sitting around the bell. I was too scared most of the time ... I didn't experiment with anyone in the Singing Cadets, though I did find out in my senior year that one of my good friends in the group was Gay. I did however, experiment while on the New Orleans trip:)

I found out last year that someone else in the group from that time was Gay .. He had just come out finally ... last year ... This guy decided, after a cancer scare, that life was too short not to be true to himself.

Keep in touch! HUGS!

Re: Never in a million years

[xlinebackerbear.livejournal.com]

What e-mail address should I send pictures to?

Well more than sitting around the bell happened at the Academic Building. Not that I ever experienced it, but I did venture into the basement.

It sometimes takes a scare to admit to oneself and others about who we really are. I know from personal experience that it happens.