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Monday 8 June 2015

Coincidence

In my teens my father recommended I read Howard Spring's novels, it was a good suggestion I devoured them, even then aware of unlikely coincidences.  Today, maybe inspired by the six degrees of separation I am not so sure about unlikely. 

Threè recent events have brought this to mind. When in Malvern we went to the theatre, needless to say we all changed for the theatre and dinner.  It was only when M. and I had taken our coats off whilst the men went to sort out for and drink that we realised we were wearing identical cardigans from White Stuff in marina blue colour. Of course our husbands didn't notice, that gave us much amusement. 

The last weekend in May we were in East Anglia, on the Sunday we joined my cousin and her husband for lunch at their home in Suffolk. (To be strictly genealogically correct, Judy's late father was my cousin, he was the eldest of the paternal cousins, Judy is a little older than me, our fathers were more like brothers than uncle and nephew as they were close in age).  Judy's husband Dave was in the services so they moved around the country, Judy worked as a District Nurse, after discussion it turned out she had worked from the practice where my daughter has recently registered in Dorset, knew where daughter is living as this was part of her round. There was no link, daughter was 12 the one time she met Judy. 

Last Saturday daughter and I grabbed a black cab taxi to Waterloo rather than face Oxford Circus tube, the driver was delightful, chatting to us, telling us about his teenage daughters, how he and his wife were bringing the girls up, their values etc. We were asked where we live, apparently his school playing fields were nearby, I mentioned the name of his sports teacher, I was right, Patrick Cross who lived across the road from me in my teens, also his son, Martin Cross, the Olympic rower had taken his medals into taxi driver's school. Martin Cross had taught my son history.

Nothing to do with coincidence but this lovely taxi driver, who apologised for the heavy traffic as if it were his fault, also stressed the problem of non licensed minicar drivers using an app to attract passengers. Many of these undercut the professional Hackney cab drivers who still have to have The Knowledge, be insured and regulated. So if anyone who reads this and needs a cab in London please use the traditional taxis, after all there is much more passenger space, a comfortable ride plus an entertaining and interesting driver. 


No photos to show concerning these coincidences, but this is what daughter and I had been doing. 


A hen do, a first for me, it was  afternoon tea with a theme of Alice in Wonderland. 

1 comment:

  1. Sometimes the choice of a taxi depends on how much money one has to spend on such "luxuries" - and most people simply go for the cheapest option not out of necessity, but because that is their habit.
    The big black cabs are really so much more comfortable, plus it is almost a "must" for any tourist to the London area to ride in one of those iconic cars!

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