What are the Chances???

What Are The Chances?

What Are The Chances? is a blog page I decided to create after the number of coincidences began piling up.  I find them fascinating and hope you do too.  Scroll to bottom to see most recent entries. Would love to read your comments which you can post below.

October 27, 2014 Brook n Wood Campground

Over the weekend I heard activity coming from the large Infinity Class A rig next door. "People!", my Gemini self called out and I went out to "meet and greet" Harley and Tina.  They're in their fourth year here as seasonal "residents" but came up this weekend to finalize winterizing their rig.  Conversation went on between Harley and me about each of our RVs as Tina, former landscape designer, tended to her small patch of land, removing dead twigs, branches, and leaves.  I invited them over to visit Winnie after they completed their chores. They came, they visited, and, in typical RVer fashion, brought a wonderful bottle of wine with them. "Apothic Dark, Limited Edition."  Tasting notes stated, "This 2013 blend of Shiraz, Merlot, and Zinfandel seamlessly integrates flavors of blueberry and blackberry with enticing notes of coffee and dark chocolate for a rich and smooth mouthfeel with layers of texture."

A most delicious, smooth tasting and highly recommended wine for my red wine loving friends. During this brief encounter, the things we learned about each other were worthy of note.  So, what are the chances that, here 72 miles from home on a chance weekend, in the remotest section of an unoccupied campground I meet people who:

1.  Live in Croton, and

2.  At Half Moon Bay.

3. Tina knows and works with a mutual friend who lives there and who, last year, gave my name for airport transportation and

4. With whom I spoke on the phone but never met because I was in Florida for the month of April,  And who's

5. Husband, Harley, when finding out I retired from teaching in the Hendrick Hudson school district, asked if I knew a fella he worked with at Entergy in Buchanan.... a graduate of  Hen Hud. Wouldn't you know?  I did.  That 12 year old I taught is now contemplating retirement at age 55!

What are the chances?

February 1, 2015 at Elite RV Resort, Clermont, Florida

 The couple next to me in a huge fifth wheel at Elite RV Resort in Clermont, FL and I got to chatting and it turned out he worked at Sing Sing in Ossining....as an employee, not a resident.  He, along with 4 of his friends, rented an apartment in Peekskill.  "Oh yeah?" says I, "Where?"  When pressed for its name he couldn't remember because this was back in 1985-88.  When I mentioned the River House, it clicked for him and believe it or not, he lived where I do now...he on the third floor, me on the sixth.  He and his wife now reside in Buffalo.

What are the chances?

February 3, 2014 at Del-Raton RV Park

After getting settled and within 3 hours of my being here, I took a walk to check out the rest of the campground.  I introduced myself to STEVE, the owner of the RV to my right (site #15) from out on Long Island.  As I continued on the way, I met STEVE and his significant other, Kimberly, both from Texas.  I mentioned the coincidence and STEVE said, "yeah, there's a STEVE down on the last site on the left (site #33)".  I didn't get a chance to meet that one.  The next day as I returned from visiting at the front office, the RVer to my left (site #12) got out of his pickup and I noticed New York plates. He and a friend just returned from golfing.  I introduced myself and he responds with, "Hi, I'm STEVE from Albany."

So now I'm up to four people in one location that I met in a two day period called STEVE.
Update 2/7/14:  The sentence above, "I didn't get a chance to meet that one" must be changed.  I met him today. I've seen him on previous occasions walking with a cup of coffee but found out today he's the STEVE in the rig down the road.  He prefers STEVEN, however. Now, here comes the good part. I told him of the STEVEs I know and he adds, "Oh, the fella over there on site #53 is STEVE .  He's the fella that came around earlier in the week to give me flier indicating his intention to make this campsite a environmentally "green" by beginning a Recycling Program. He has bins set up on his site to receive the usual; all the things we recycle at home. In Florida they do separate their garbage and co-mingles but they do not offer deposits for bottles. So, there you have it.  5 (that I know of) of the 60 sites have a STEVE  That's 8%

What are the chances?

December 17, 2015

The screen shot to the left of Words With Friends, is from an online game I enjoy playing with a few people. As you may know, random letters are given along the bottom of the screen from which words are created and placed on the board for points. 

Today, the arrow in the screen shot shows the letters I found when I opened the game to take my turn. The letters themselves were not important to me; it was the placement of them: R-A-L-Y-E-A. It's not a word. It's a name, a last name that brought me back in time. In 2008, I became acquainted with a woman in southern California that I met on line and began emailing regularly about our lives and families. The dating site listed her living in PortChester, NY. Emailing, I learned otherwise. When I flew out to San Jose, CA to visit family, I took a side trip south to meet her. Communications continued but eventually died off as we each remained deeply involved in our own lives.  Today I pursued the name, reached out to make contact and did. She seemed as delighted as I was making that connection once again.  It was nice to hear from you again, Jody.

What are the chances?

This year my birthday purposely coincided with my first day RVing into the summer months, the first of which is to CPP.  Over the years I have, through conversation, come to know not one or two other folks but seven who have the same birthdays:

1. Chas
2. David
3. Christopher
4. Denise
5. Adam (Sonj's son)
6. Hana
7. Barbara
8. Maria's father

What are the chances?

July 10, 2017 at South Bend/Elkhart North KOA

While registering for an overnight stay in Indiana on my way to San Jose, CA, the co-owner, Patricia Schenk, asked where I was from. Peekskill perked her ears and she asked, "Do you know a fella by the name of....Ernst...something?" Knowing she was Swedish, the only person I could think of having a similar background owns an RV repair place on Park Street in Peekskill; Trans-Atlantic Automobile and RV Center. Although I don't know him personally, I know of the establishment. Patricia commuted from Hoboken, NJ over the "goat trail" to get to work each day. So, here I am in Indiana and ran into someone who knows (kinda) about Peekskill!
What are the chances?

July 13, 2017 in Aurora, Nebraska

Continuing my journey to San Jose, a quick glance at my dash suggested I stop and top off my fuel tank before another four hour trip to the opposite side of the state of Nebraska.  My stop was in Aurora, NE. three miles off I-80. Casey's General Store is a chain I've seen at many exits along my way. They sell diesel at a good price. As I prepared to pump, a lady walked up to me out of nowhere and, apparently after noticing my license plates, asked, "Are you really from New York?" I got quite a kick out of that and held back a good laugh. I assured her I was as I introduced myself and she to me. Her name was Debbie and she walked over from the Dollar General parking lot where she and her two daughters sold fresh produce from their farm stand daily. She told me I should try some Nebraskan corn as long as I was passing through. And I couldn't have agreed with her more. After filling up, I left the RV at the pump and walked over. We chatted for a good while. Well, what was in store for me when I asked the daughter's names? The 21 year old who just graduated college in Iowa is Beca and her little sister is Sarah (with the 'h'). The family owns "just about 500 acres" of farmland nearby. They have about 100 acres devoted to sweet corn which they sell to local markets (100 bushels at a time) and the rest is sold for livestock feed. So here I am, practically and figuratively in the middle of the country and, while getting gas, I run into a mom with the two names of my own two granddaughters.

Beca & Sarah (red heads)

Sara & Beca (brunettes)

Beca, Sarah & mom, Debbie
holding Nebraskan corn.

What are the chances?

Friend, Sonj, posted the following on my Facebook page in September of 2017 and the series of coincidences qualified for placement on this page. 

My sister and her daughter are named, Judy.
Her son, Adam, and I share the same birthday, May 26th (see the other's above)
Our granddaughters are named, Sarah and Sara.
Sonj, her daughter, Judy, and my sister Judy are all June babies.

What are the chances?
October 16, 2017

I had to make another appointment with a MOHs surgeon for the removal of some basal cells on my chest found by my dermatologist. I've already seen him regarding some removed from my upper lip. Called today for a consultation appointment and spoke with Ninnette. When confirming my address, she says, "I live there." I'll meet her on October 27th and see if we've crossed paths here at the complex. This is a first where I've encountered someone from within the building at work in another location.
October 27th UPDATE. Never saw the young lady before or since.
What are the chances?
November 20, 2017 Daughter, Marybeth, texted me one morning and told me she's had annoying, itchy palms for the past couple of weeks. She wanted to know if I, apparently the gene-carrier for itchy palms, experienced the same annoyance and, hence, transmitted it to her. I told her that on very rare occasions, yes, I've had itchy palms but for a very short duration. I then related an old wives tale to her that states if the left hand itches, you'll lose money; if the right, you'll receive money.

At about the same time the very next morning, my right palm began to itch. Digging into the palm to scratch and relieve the annoyance, I began to chuckle and thought all this was her fault. She transmitted the annoyance through the phone lines hoping perhaps to nullify and relieve her own itchy palms. Later, that same day, I received a letter in the mail. In it was a $25.00 AMEX gift card from my dentist and a thank you note. Some time prior I had referred MB's mother to them as a new patient and this was their way of thanking me. I received money just as an old wives tale had stated. What are the chances? I wonder if any one else ever experienced a similar 'old wives' coincidence.

December 23, 2017 UPDATE. Once again a morning itchy palm...the right one. Oh boy, says I, ca-ching, ca-ching. In the afternoon mail is an Amazon Gift Card for Christmas from Chuck, Silvia and Aaron. So? Two for two. Hmm, should I become a believer of  itchy palms if "Third Time's the Charm?"  We shall see.

March 24, 2018 UPDATE. "The Charm:" At 11:30 p.m. I texted daughter, Marybeth, that my right hand was being annoyingly itchy. Well, so what, it happens now and then. Two days later, on Monday 3/26/18, I received a phone call from the Claim Adjuster for my lost personal property claim in my Winnebago motor home. After deductibles and depreciation, I will be a receiving direct deposit of $1,958.60 within 3 days.

April 7, 2018 UPDATE, What is this? After this morning's itchy right palm, the contents of my afternoon letter from Bank of The West, was an unexpected check for $64.77. After the demise of Winnie, my net proceeds from the auto insurance claim was less due to the fact that the bank loan had to be paid off. I was only in the fourth year of a the fifteen year loan. That left a big chunk to be paid off. The bank's check represented a refund for an "overpayment." How 'bout that?
What are the chances?

May, 2018.  

One morning in late May, while I checked my finances on line, I noticed a charge in one of my bank accounts that caused me to give my bank, Key Bank, a call. Here's the conversation I had:

"Hi, welcome to Key Bank, my name is Camille, how may I help you?"

"Good morning, Camille. How nice, I have a cousin named Camille. The reason for my call is I saw a charge for an annual fee on my overdraft protection account that I don't remember ever paying before. And I......"

"Oh, that's a different department; one that deals with the line of credit on your checking. Let me switch you over; one moment please. Have a nice day and thanks for calling Key." *click*

After a few seconds, 

"Good morning, welcome to Key Bank. My name is Larry. How may I help you today?"

There was a moment of silence before I could start telling him my problem. Fortunately, he didn't see my open mouth in amazement. I have two cousins, brother and sister, name Larry and Camille. Larry has passed away; Camille still lives in Florida. So there I was connected to two different employees, probably not even in the same location with the same names as brother/sister cousins of mine.

What are the chances?