Coincidences

Crash winning the Oscar (huh?) and watching Dickens' Bleak House on Masterpiece Theater got me thinking about the likelihood of things. Both of those were written as if there were only about 40 people each in modern day Los Angeles and 19th century London, respectively. It stretches credibility. In Dickens I think it can be forgiven, Crash...well.... Anyway, since we all know that the world contains considerably more than 40 people, is it a smaller world or a larger world than I tend to believe?

For instance, we were in Portland last weekend (see previous post) and we were driving down some random street in a quiet, non-touristy part of town. There was a woman and a boy walking on the opposite side of the road. Something clicked and I looked back to see that this was my cousin Michael's son and ex who I have only met twice ever. The odds, I would swear, were so infinitesimal. They were on that road for two blocks and then they would have been on a bus if we had been any later. How do these things happen? We spent the whole next day with them, they are awesome. See photo of Maria and Jonah above.

And this wasn't the only time. Just last summer we stayed at the same hotel on the same days as our friends Shannon and Jared. Then they independently planned a trip to Disneyland on the same date as us. We missed seeing them both times but still. Same thing with Amy and Matt (see links)'s honeymoon being on the Big Island the same time as I was there with the rents. Again, we didn't know until later. What are the odds? No, seriously, can someone do the math for me, please? I really want to know.

I think I need to watch Sliding Doors again, it relates. But it's sort of a downer, or halfway so, at least. You have to see it to know what I mean.