Have you ever met someone and become friends, only to learn much later that, when younger, they lived near to you or even attended the same school in a previous neighbourhood? If you're anything like me (I'd imagine that not many people are), you can't help but wonder if your paths might've crossed before without either of you knowing or remembering. Y'know, like standing in the same queue in a local shop, or in the same bus shelter or whatever. So, with that in mind, "I wanna tell you a story."
(Cue wavy lines as we indulge in a flashback.) My father once had a pair of budgies, Cheeky and Joey. For some unstated reason, he eventually decided to part with them, though I suspect it may've been because he'd read an article saying that budgies carry diseases and so decided it was better to be safe than sorry. I remember as I was leaving for primary school one day, my parents saying: "You'd better say goodbye to the budgies - they won't be here when you get back."
I simply shrugged, but on reaching the back gate I was overwhelmed by a sudden wave of sadness and hurried back in to bid Cheeky and Joey au revoir. Cut to many, many years later, and me and my pal Moonmando (whom you've seen comment on the blog) were in that former neighbourhood and I pointed out my old house to him. You can imagine my astonishment when he informed me that he and one of his brothers had once collected a pair of budgies in a cage from that very house.
I didn't meet Moony 'til around 2nd or 3rd year in secondary school, so to discover he'd actually been in my (by then) former house without me knowing was quite a surprise. What's more, his brother had been in my class at primary school at some stage, though I never knew him then, or even remembered him. In fact, it wasn't until I was looking at an old school photo (which you can see here) in adulthood that I recognised his brother - as, by this time, I had known them both for quite a number of years. (Though learning they'd both once been in my old residence to collect our budgies came later.)
What's more, the realisation that I'd later visited their house many times without ever knowing it was the very domicile to which Cheeky and Joey had 'retired', was likewise a source of amazement to me. This was a connection of which we'd all been previously unaware. It goes without saying that Moony isn't anywhere near as impressed with this incident as I am (or at all in fact), but to me, it's one of those 'Astounding Tales' that makes life so interesting. (Then again, I always was easily impressed.)
So, anything like that ever happen to you? Do tell!
