Friday, August 23, 2013

An Interesting Coincidence

    My Dad was an out and out extrovert. Dad  would stop on the road anyplace to see some one or something. There wasn't a saw mill or any other plant that Dad wouldn't stop at and go in. He was always curious about how things were done.

    One time he over did it a bit. He was in a medical teaching center with some one who had an appointment. They had some time and were walking around in the building. There were interesting displays in the hallway. One door was open and it looked like a few students were working so Dad went in to see what was going on. There were tables with large sheets over them. They went up to the students and found they were dissecting a body. It gave Dad a bit of a shock, but he stayed anyway. Finally the lab supervisor came over and politely said, "I don't think you should be in here."

     Dad would strike up a conversation anywhere with anybody. There was a deal on in the 1960's where for $99.00 you could ride the bus for 99 days. Dad took this and met many people and had many stories to tell when he got back. .

    Dad spent about 20 winters in Phoenix. Again , he talked to many different people. He met a man one day who had a cap on that said Alberta Wheat Pool. This told Dad that the man was from Alberta, Canada and was most likely a farmer because the Alberta Wheat Pool was a large farm organization. 

   So Dad Started, "Well, how's the old farmer today?" 

    The guy looked shocked and said , "How did you know I vas a a farmer?"

    Dad said, "Your cap gives you away."

    Then they started to chat and they found out that the old farmer had come to Dad's home town when he first came to Canada from Germany. He had worked for Mr. Wilson for two years and then moved to northern Alberta where he set up farming. Before they parted he asked my Dad, "What ever happened to Mr Wilson's daughter Alice?"

     Dad said, "She married my brother."

     So there was a double coincidence. They had something in common as they had lived in the same place. And the old farmer found out what happened to one of the girls that he liked.

     So being an extrovert can lead to some interesting adventures. I don't know how my Dad had a son who is such an introvert.