Strange but good

We believe that God puts people in our lives for a reason. We may not know at the time why they’re there, and frankly, there are times we never figure out why they’re there, but they are put there intentionally. That said, this new friendship has been strange for us all, not because the people involved are strange (except for me) but because of the coincidences (or not)…

When Lisa and I were about 13 weeks along I (Karen) was at a local baby shop in search of  a chair for the nursery. As I sat in chair after chair I noticed a woman who I thought was pregnant (she had the telling hand on the belly look much of the time) talking to a salesperson. After I had exhausted what I thought were all of my chair options I realized there was one chair I hadn’t sat in.

But the woman who I thought was pregnant was sitting in it. I was talking to my salesperson when I said “I didn’t try this chair.” The woman offered to get up so I could try it, but I told her it was OK. However, she insisted, so I sat in it. I again was talking to my salesperson when I said “this chair isn’t as comfortable as the other one.” The woman who had gotten out of the chair asked me which chair I was talking about, so I showed her.

I wanted to ask her how far along she was, but she wasn’t really showing, and you know the rule about asking a woman if she’s pregnant. But after a few minutes of talking I decided to take the plunge and ask. Turns out her name is Jennifer, and she and her husband Bhrett are due NOV. 29. What a small world!

Jennifer and I had kept in touch via email until Sunday. On Sunday, Lisa and I decided on a whim to eat at Scalini’s, a local Italian restaurant known for its eggplant parmesan promise. Many a pregnant woman has eaten Scalini’s eggplant parm and gone into labor within 48 hours. If you do, the restaurant gives you a $25 gift certificate. Yes, we were a week early, but hey, the baby was full term, and the 10th full moon was Monday night, so we thought the timing was just right.

So we ate our eggplant parm (which is very good). Before you leave, you have to sign the baby book, and then you’re on the clock and your 48 hours begin. Well, I went to put Lisa’s name in the book, and whose name was on the line above us? Jennifer, our friend from the baby store. She and her husband had just left. I ran outside and pulled a Rocky Balboa, screaming “J-e-n-n-i-f-e-r” at the top of my lungs, but no luck. They had left.

I ran back inside to get Lisa. On our way out I called Jennifer. When she picked up I asked her how her eggplant parmesan was. It turns out they were seated in the opposite side of the restaurant at the same time we were there. Our chance meetings, non-meetings are really weirding us out, but it’s nice to have people who are going through these things at the same time.

By the way, the eggplant didn’t work for either of us. 😦