Ever since I was a kid, I've had this stuff happen to me- but it's not the kind of thing you talk about at the dinner table when you grow up around a family of journalists.

"It's just a coincidence," they would say.  

Well, 30 years later- the "coincidences" keep happening- and so....I'm wondering if maybe I'm not alone....

**

I was at Clark St. Beach in Evanston this weekend with an old friend from high school named Missy, and she mentioned that she wanted me to mail one of her friends my book.  

"I know you don't know her," she said, "but I really think she will like your story.  You have to meet her someday." 

As she was talking about her friend, I suddenly remembered an encounter I had with a woman at a book party nearly two years ago.   It was at a luncheon at the restaurant RL.  My friend Laura Caldwell was hosting a celebration for one of her many fabulous books, and I was seated next to a woman Laura thought I would enjoy.

"I just knew you two had to meet," Laura said as she introduced us.  

"I'm Toni," said the beautiful woman with dark hair, holding out her hand.

We got along well, and found we had similar interests.  

"How do you know Laura?" She asked.

"She interviewed me for some magazines, and we've been friends ever since," I said.

"What do you do?" Toni asked.  

"I guess I'm an author too," I said- realizing that my book had just been released a month before.  

At the end of the lunch, we exchanged cards, and promised to keep in touch.

"I am totally going to mail you a book," I said.  I genuinely meant it too.

Then- life got in the way.  I lost Toni's card, and hadn't thought about her until....well- this weekend.  Nearly TWO YEARS later.

So Saturday night, my friend Missy and I decide to go downtown to a fabulous new restaurant, The 33 Club, which just opened in Old Town.

As we get seated outside, I look to my left, and I almost choked on my ice water.

"What is it?!"  Missy asked me.

I tried not to look obvious as I whispered through my hand.

Don't look now, but that woman next to you- I was just thinking about her!"  I said, still in shock that she was now in plain sight.  I told Missy that I'd thought of Toni earlier that day and how I'd promised to send a book a couple of years ago but never did.

Of course Missy disregarded my request to be inconspicuous and shot an obvious glance in her direction as I was talking.

"The pretty one with the dark hair?" She asked..

"SHHHHHHHHH!" I gasped.

Missy turned back to me, and took a deep breath.

"Ok, so what are the chances of THAT?" She asked.  "You just thought of her out of nowhere today, and here she is?  What the FUCK?

In a city of 8 million people, no less.... 

"You'll kick yourself if you don't say hello," Missy said.

As we were leaving a couple of hours later, I leaned over Toni's table, and with some Pinot Noir induced confidence, I started talking.

"I don't know if you remember me, but we sat next to each other at RL for a Laura Caldwell event," I said.

"Oh, hi," she said, being gracious, but not quite placing my face.

"You might not believe this- but you literally popped into my mind today out of NOWHERE."

Here eyes sort of widened.  She may have been confused- or she may have been frightened- but the bottle of wine in my system kept me chatting.

"I told Missy here- I don't think there are any accidents- just reminders from the Universe- so apparently, I was supposed to say 'hello' to you."

"I can't believe you just said there are no accidents," she said.  "That's what I tell my friends all the time.

  

I handed her my card, and walked away.  

"She must think I'm Looney Toons," I said to Missy as we walked down the street.

"Maybe," she said.  "But maybe not.  You might hear from her."

If not, we can always reconnect over another Laura Caldwell book party.  By then maybe my second book will be out. 

That way, well have something new to talk about.  

Dammit!