An Interesting Event Today...

I smile at the interesting things in life. At least once a week, I am amused at the absurd or just quirky things that can happen to people, but today, I have to say, I was a party to something really unusual.

I am an avid reader of books. And I have been grateful for Amazon.com for providing a great method for purchasing used books cheap. You can purchase through Amazon or from them, and I usually buy used. Some people can’t stand the notion of reading a book after someone already has, but I don’t care too much. Most of the time, books which are considered “used” may have only been read once or twice so they’re really not in bad condition. Over the years, I’ve been able to build up a decent library of titles.

Earlier today, I was happy to receive another collection of books. Among the titles was Bruce Campbell’s autobiography “If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor”. I like Campbell, and have enjoyed watching him over the years, so I thought it would be a good read.

As I was flipping through the book, I was struck by two things. One, the book I had was signed by Campbell. This is not unusual as I’ve received autographed copies before (always a sweet bonus) but Campbell had signed the book to a “Brian”.

I don’t know how the book ended up in my hands but it did. But what was really interesting is what I found buried within the pages.

Tucked inside the book, was a note written to Brian, from a girl named Joan. This note was cute (and not in the way I usually mean) and she was telling Brian about how it was great to talk with Brian and how she hopes things work out for him. She says that they could catch up when she figures out what she’s going to do in college and to never forget SAT class. At the end she says she misses him and to “Enjoy the Pics!”

I got to say, this is one of the most interesting and weird things that I have ever been a party to. So, being the person that I am, I felt compelled to track down Joan to see if she remembered the note. When I Goggled her name, I found that there was only one person listed which had her name.

This Joan lived in California and worked for a shipping company as a district sales manager. The invoice for my purchase was from California also so I deduced that it would be a pretty good chance that this was the person I was looking for. I called the company, and was given an email address, so I dropped her a line.

Earlier tonight, Joan contacted me through email, and asked to talk with me, so I provided her with my number and asked her to call. She did, minutes later, and relayed the following story.

Joan apparently had known Brian when she was either fourteen or fifteen when she was living in Virginia. She was in high school and he was a bit older. This would have been around 2002 or 2003. He helped her with her golf game and they apparently took a couple of classes’ together, specifically SAT class. He is a couple of years older than she.

She told me that Brian is from Michigan originally and was going to move out to California to attend college, and at the time, she didn’t know where she was going yet. Eventually, she ended up going to college in California. I asked if they dated at all, and she said that they didn’t because he was in a relationship and was a bit older but she would have been interested if he wasn’t.

I asked her if she moved to California because of him, and she didn’t really give an answer so you can draw your own conclusions. But they didn’t end up together. Still though she said that they are still friends today, and that Brian is married and has a few kids, and seems to be happy. She is as well, given her position as a manager in the shipping company, so she was pleased with how everything tuned out.

Like me, she said that she finds the interesting and absurdity of life to be fascinating, and actively seeks out such occurrences. She was happy to talk with me, and said that I made her day by contacting her. She also said she would contact Brian about the note, so I may hear from him sometime.

Just goes to show how little things can improve a day, and the value in taking the extra step for others. Sometimes it’s just enough to acknowledge ironic or interesting things in life and appreciate what it can offer, if only we take some effort ourselves. The story ended on a good note, and it’s one that I certainly won’t forget for a long time.

BTW: Sorry guys, according to Joan, the pics were classy in nature. Much akin to senior class photos.

According to the expert, spring is coming.

So, today is Groundhog Day. Not much of a holiday of course, but at least there’s more to it than most. (Seriously, why is Columbus Day still recognized?).

Like some of you, however, at some point today, I’ll take a couple of hours and pop in that classic Bill Murray film of the same name. In the course of a given year, I’ll watch this one perhaps once or twice, but if I do, it’ll most assuredly be on this day.

This morning though, I got to thinking about it. The basic plot, if you’re not familiar is a guy who wakes up each morning reliving the same day again and again. It’s like a curse. Phil Connors (Murray) is destined to relive the same day over and over again. He meets the same people, has the same experiences, and nothing, not even death can help him escape this situation.

I’ve sometimes wondered what that must be like. And what would I do if faced with the same situation. If you have to relive a day again and again, I’ll guarantee you it won’t be a good day, and even if it were, how many times can you relive it before the experience becomes mundane?

Would I take advantage of the situation, as Connors does and try to sleep with all the attractive women in the town? Would I try to learn a new trade, or hobby, like playing the piano? Would I go out of my way to be a complete dick to everyone I meet because, hey, no consequences.

Would it be a pleasant experience, or a nightmare like in Connors case? I really don’t know. What do you think? What would you do?