Coincidental Fate

BEEPBEEP! BEEPBEEP! BEEPBEEP! BEEPBEEP!

Kara reflexively swung her arm wildly in a vain attempt to quiet her alarm clock. She missed the clock, but instead knocked her journal to the floor. Kara rose slowly then silenced the dream killer. As she yawned and stretched she wondered aloud, “What the heck was that about?” She rolled her neck and looked down at the floor, spotting her journal. She grabbed it and scribbled down the parts of the dream she could remember before the details faded into the routine of the day. Satisfied, she made her way to the shower to ready herself for work.

Kara turned on the tv and sat down for a light breakfast. The tv turned onto the local new station where there was a report of a fire on Brewster street. Her chewing slowed as she recognized the location of the fire. “Brewster?” she mumbled through a full mouth of toast. “That’s funny.” She shrugged off the familiarity of the street name and continued eating. The reporter moved on to the next story:

“Peacocks have escaped a bird sanctuary and are roaming the streets of a small town in Ohio.”

Kara’s eyes darted up to the screen. “Peacocks? Strange.” Her mind wandered back to her random dream. She scurried in her room and grabbed the journal and opened it to the most recent entry.

“This has to be a coincidence, right?”, she asked aloud to her empty apartment.

The news broadcast moved on to the weather and Kara finished her breakfast and packed her work bag. The news returned after a commercial break for a last word:

“And now for a bit of nostalgia for some of you out there. A vintage Barney sleeping bag has recently sold on Ebay of $3,000. I guess someone really loved that purple dinosaur, huh Paul?”

“NO WAY!” Kara yelled as she whipped around and stared bewildered at the tv. She grabbed her journal and tore off the page with her dream notes. “That’s three things in a row.” The news team signed off, which cued Kara to start her commute. She folded the paper into her pocket and hurried off to work.

A non-productive morning at work was broken up by a welcomed visitor. “Hey girl, hey!” Josie said as her head popped over the top of Kara’s cubicle smiling warmly, caffeine in hand. Kara looked up and returned the smile. Josie’s ever-present jovial nature instantly brightened Kara’s mood.

“Happy Monday, Josie!” Kara paused for a bit, then asked, “Hey, umm do you believe in coincidences?”

“Nope, Josie said confidently. “I believe in fate; everything happens for a reason. Why do you ask?”

“I just had the strangest dream last night. I can’t even describe it.” Kara shook her head slowly.

“Oooh, tell me about it.” Josie’s eyes widened with curiosity.

Kara continued, “The dream made absolutely no sense, but get this, I wrote down what I remembered from it…. and some of the things I dreamt are happening in real life!”

Josie’s jaw dropped in disbelief. “Really?! Where’s the list?”

Kara produced the list and Josie read the scribbled words aloud:

• Barney Sleeping Bag
• Waterfall
• Peacock
• 815
• Brewster
• Lucky’s
• Black Bird

Unable to find a cohesive meaning in the words, Josie chortled, “Yeah, that dream sounds wild.”

“Three of those things have already happened before I got to work this morning.” Kara said as she took the paper back.

“Well, there must be an explanation for it even if we don’t know right now.” Josie reasoned as she sipped more coffee.

Kara caught a whiff of heavy cologne and rolled her eyes as she recognized the foreboding aroma of ‘Eavesdropping Earl’.

“Morning ladies, I couldn’t help but overhear you guys talking about events from a dream happening in reality…. Uhh what were those numbers again?” Earl leaned over Kara, enveloping her in his signature scent and found what he was looking for. Josie defensively raised her mug to release a tiny cough as she sipped her coffee.

“Ah yes. 815. You wouldn’t mind if I borrowed these, all of a sudden I’m feeling lucky.”

“Of course not, Earl. Whatever you need.” Kara’s voice faded as her eyes began to water.

“Excellent! If you’ll excuse me ladies, there’s a meeting in the water closet I need to attend.” Earl lumbered away and Kara took in a deep grateful breath.

“Oh, Earl.” Josie giggled and sighed. She went on, “So, speaking of coincidences and fate, yesterday I ran into an old friend from college and I really think you guys should meet.”

Kara blinked slowly to buy time then smiled politely. “I can’t. I have plans.”

“But I haven’t even told you when,” Josie chuckled. “Listen, I know it’s rough sometimes but not every date is going to be a dumpster fire. You have to take chances in life.”

Kara protested, “I just don’t think I’m cut out for it; I’m way too awkward and shy around men… especially when they’re cute…. My whole body shuts down…. I don’t-”

Josie put her hand up and said, “OK enough. Would it make you feel better if I came along? I mean, I don’t mind being the third wheel if it would make things less awkward.”

Kara thought for a moment then responded, “Yeah, I guess.”

“Great!” Josie's eyes lit up. “It’s tonight at the Orchard Hotel at 8pm. I’ll meet you in the lobby, ok girl? I’m so excited!” Josie bounced away before Kara could protest again.

“Great.” Kara sighed.

Shortly before lunch an office-wide email was sent out notifying the staff of a catered lunch prepared in the break room. The last line of the email made Kara shoot up out of her chair in disbelief. She read it again slowly:

Special thanks to Lucky’s Asian Express for catering today’s lunch.

Kara’s eyes scanned the room and stopped as they met with Josie’s from a few cubicles down. Josie mouthed the word “Lucky’s” and held up four fingers signifying the fourth word from Kara’s dream had occurred.

The rest of the work day was a blur and Kara eagerly packed her things to go home. Josie stopped by with a wry smile. “Hey girl. What do you say we go bird watching? I hear there’s a tiny waterfall in the park nearby.”

Before Kara could answer, ‘Eavesdropper Earl’ walked over. Although he appeared a bit sweatier than earlier in the day, he was aromatically consistent. “Kara, your dream is meaningless. It’s just a mishmash of random little thoughts in your random little brain, so you should forget about any other coincidence you may see.”

“What makes you so sure?....Also why are you so sweaty?” Kara asked, more curious about the latter.

Earl’s voice started to crescendo, “Well, I will have you know, Kara, that I took a long lunch and went to the casino and played your magic numbers and never won a thing. Which reminds me- you owe me $200 dollars!” His crescendo fell quickly to an impassioned whisper as he felt his cheeks flush from embarrassment.

Josie’s eyes narrowed as she stepped closer to the mass of radiating fragrance and said, “No one told you to throw $200 dollars at the casino during work hours, Earl. That’s on you.”

Earl started to protest, but instead turned and walked away in a huff, his cologne following aggressively behind him.

Turning back to Josie, Kara said, “Maybe TLC is right. Maybe we shouldn’t go chasing waterfalls. Besides, I have to mentally prepare for tonight.”

“Oh yeah, that’s right! Josie squeezed Kara’s arm excitedly. “Remember, meet me in the lobby at 8, ok?”

“You got it.” Kara confirmed with the most confident smile she can muster.

Kara decided to head over to the hotel early in an attempt to calm her nerves before dinner began. As she walked through the lobby, she checked the time on the antique grandfather clock and groaned as she realized that an hour and ten minutes was probably way more time than she needed to get settled. She wandered over to the bar and took a seat. The bartender greeted her immediately and asked for her drink order.

“Oh, umm.” Kara scanned the bar and spotted a man with a dark wine in his hand that he seemed to be enjoying. She pointed to him and said, “I’ll have what he’s having.”

The bartender replied, “Very well. Merlot for the lady.”

The man overheard the bartender and turned his attention toward Kara, lifted his glass, nodded and smiled. Kara did her best to return his gesture with a little wave and smile before her shyness got the best of her. After her order arrived Kara engrossed herself in her phone, but the deep voice of a man suddenly close to her startled her out of her electronic trance.

“You picked an excellent wine.” he said. It was the man holding the wine glass a few seats down.

“Oh, thanks.” Kara replied, suddenly finding herself in the presence of the most attractive man she’d ever seen. She felt herself shutting down, but as she looked into the kind eyes of the stranger, she felt more at ease. Kara continued, “Honestly, I know nothing about wines, but you seemed to be enjoying yours, so I took a chance and ordered the same.”

Amused, the man sat down next to Kara and said, “Oh, really? Well, I’ll tell you a little fun fact about Merlot. It originally comes from the French word meaning little black bird.”

Kara could hardly hide her surprise as she realized the 5th word from her dream was mentioned. “Oh wow, that’s interesting. I’m Kara, by the way.”

“I’m David, and it’s a pleasure meeting you.” he said.

The two conversed easily for a time, truly enjoying each others’ company. Kara glanced at a clock on the wall and realized it was past 8.

“Oh shoot!” she exclaimed. “I’m supposed to be meeting people for dinner and I’m late now. I’m so sorry, but I have to go.”

David also checked the time. “I seem to be late as well. Hey listen, I had a great time talking with you and I’d really like to do this again. Maybe go on a date or something. Will you take my number?”

“Of course. I’d love that.” The words flew out of her mouth before she could stop herself.

The two exchanged numbers and goodbyes. Kara power walked to the lobby, fighting the surge of anxiety she thought she avoided. Kara scanned the lobby for Josie unsuccessfully. Just as she reached for her phone to check for missed calls, it started dinging. It was a series of texts from Josie:

Hey girl, hey! You will not believe what just happened.

I was rushing to meet you and I fell in a puddle!

I’m soaked, I’m dirty, and I’m going home.

Please stay for dinner with my friend. I’ve already texted and gave him your contact info. He’ll meet you in the lobby.

Don’t you dare leave!

The wave of panic that washed over Kara was cut short by a thought that lead her response:

Kara: You fell in water. Wouldn’t that make it a water-fall? Get it? Ha!

Josie: OMG! LOL, ya jerk. Call me later, ok?

Kara: K

Kara was still looking at her phone when she heard a man calling her name behind her. She turned around to find David standing there with two glasses of Merlot.

David grinned and said, “So it looks like our Josie isn’t going to make it tonight.”

“You’re the friend?!” Kara said smiling brightly.

David extended a glass towards Kara and asked, "Shall we make this a date then?”

Kara accepted the wine and his arm. She glanced at the grandfather clock as they headed to the restaurant and laughed to herself as she recognized the time of 815pm.