It's a Small World After All

Living in a city of 8,008,278 people (2000 census), you'd think that the chances of running into people you know and even those you don't really know would be slim. Not at all. Last Friday I went to west 16th St. to deliver something for my boss. As I'm about to enter Union Square, I hear, "Timo!" It's Sheebs and her friend Liz walking out of the clinic they work at. I didn't even know where her clinic was located, and yet, of all the streets and avenues in Manhattan, we found ourselves together at that place and time.

I've had another eerie coincidence. Last June, I received a Friendster message from a random guy that I didn't follow up on. One month later, I went to see "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" and discovered the Friendster message sender was Jesse Tyler Ferguson, the red headed actor (pictured) in the musical. Imagine my surprise learning a Broadway actor had friendster'ed me! Then a week later, I grabbed an uptown C train and whom did I sit next to? Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Last week I went to the Phoenix for drinks. Again, more JTF. Is someone trying to tell me something?

Other chance encounters include cute couple Jane and Skye, recent transplants from Mpls, who I ran into of all places, the Cobble Hill neighborhood in Brooklyn. These girls live at East 91st and 2nd on the Upper East Side and now they're in this quaint, low key Brooklyn neighborhood? And I just happen to be there too?! They were there to check out a great restaurant they had heard of.

I ate at the East 81st and 3rd Ave. Gobo about two weeks ago. About three hours later, I saw our waitress and the hostess getting off the train with me at Bleeker Street, about 80 streets south of the restaurant. When we were looking for a new roommate last June, we showed the place to this one guy. I passed that same guy in a crosswalk at 23rd and 5th the next day.

I'm just waiting for the day when I'll turn a corner and I'll run into Parker Posey or someone similarly unbelievable, and they'll say to me, "Want to hang out now?" And I'll pee my pants, then say, "Okay."