Sunday, February 12, 2006
Serendipity
Several days ago, Wordgirl posted a lovely missive about the role coincidence played in the naming of her children. She then invited her readers to post about the happy accidents in their lives. Not sure if the following is coincidence or a good ghost story, but it really happened, and I like it. So there.
A few things you should know about my father:
In World War II, he was stationed in Panama.
He loved Big Band music.
When I was little, he would sing to me: "Peg O' My Heart."
A few things you should know about me:
Years ago, I worked in the marketing department of a large corporation. (Well, still do... different corporation, though.) One of the services we advertised was a travel agency. If a travel agent couldn't represent the company on a cruise, the company would get a muckety-muck. If the muckety-muck couldn't go, they'd ask someone from the marketing department to chaperone the trip.
So, one day my number came up, and upper management asked if I wanted to go on a cruise.
A Big Band theme cruise
To Panama
Leaving on the fifth anniversary of Dad's death.
I didn't tell them that last part. Naturally, the circumstances gave me the shivers -- but C'MON! IT'S A FREE CRUISE!
So, I go, the ship leaves in a shower of serpentine and confetti, and I get dressed to go to the cabaret for the evening revue, feeling a little depressed. They're doing a Big Band "radio" show. You know the type: silky-voiced announcer says something like, "And now, broadcasting around the country from the Stardust Ballroom, high atop the Phlegm Building in downtown Cincinnati, it's..."
I order my cocktail and slip into a booth in the back. Right after my drink is delivered, Silky-Voiced Announcer says, "Now our songbirds croon a footlight favorite for all the folks at home: 'Peg O' My Heart.'"
I hope my spit-take wasn't that big.
After a few moments of hyperventilating out on the Lido Deck, I looked up at the stars and said a few "thank yous" for the people in my life and for happy coincidences.
A few things you should know about my father:
In World War II, he was stationed in Panama.
He loved Big Band music.
When I was little, he would sing to me: "Peg O' My Heart."
A few things you should know about me:
Years ago, I worked in the marketing department of a large corporation. (Well, still do... different corporation, though.) One of the services we advertised was a travel agency. If a travel agent couldn't represent the company on a cruise, the company would get a muckety-muck. If the muckety-muck couldn't go, they'd ask someone from the marketing department to chaperone the trip.
So, one day my number came up, and upper management asked if I wanted to go on a cruise.
A Big Band theme cruise
To Panama
Leaving on the fifth anniversary of Dad's death.
I didn't tell them that last part. Naturally, the circumstances gave me the shivers -- but C'MON! IT'S A FREE CRUISE!
So, I go, the ship leaves in a shower of serpentine and confetti, and I get dressed to go to the cabaret for the evening revue, feeling a little depressed. They're doing a Big Band "radio" show. You know the type: silky-voiced announcer says something like, "And now, broadcasting around the country from the Stardust Ballroom, high atop the Phlegm Building in downtown Cincinnati, it's..."
I order my cocktail and slip into a booth in the back. Right after my drink is delivered, Silky-Voiced Announcer says, "Now our songbirds croon a footlight favorite for all the folks at home: 'Peg O' My Heart.'"
I hope my spit-take wasn't that big.
After a few moments of hyperventilating out on the Lido Deck, I looked up at the stars and said a few "thank yous" for the people in my life and for happy coincidences.
# posted by Peggy @ 9:28 AM 
