Thursday

A Story of Coincidence

I love when strange things happen that can't really be explained. Take for example the story of King Umberto I:

In Monza, Italy, King Umberto I, went to a small restaurant for dinner, accompanied by his aide-de-camp, General Emilio Ponzia-Vaglia. When the owner took King Umberto's order, the King noticed that he and the restaurant owner were virtual doubles, in face and in build. Both men began discussing the striking resemblances between each other and found many more similarities.

a) Both men were born on the same day, of the same year, (March 14th, 1844).
b) Both men had been born in the same town.
c) Both men married a woman with same name, Margherita.
d) The restaurateur opened his restaurant on the same day that King Umberto was crowned King of Italy.

Strange as that was, on the 29th of July 1900, King Umberto was informed that the restaurateur had died that day in a mysterious shooting accident, and as he expressed his regret, he was then assassinated by an anarchist in the crowd.

While my story isn't quite that epic, I still find it pretty entertaining.

One night this week a bunch of us headed to the local "Cheers" watering hole for a brewsky after work. We were talking about Tori Spelling (who was going to be shooting scenes at the Restaurant) when one of the guys brought up the fact that Aaron Spelling is her dad and that's the only reason she got famous.

I made some comment about nepotism (the showing of favoritism toward relatives or friends based upon that relationship, rather than on an objective evaluation of ability or suitability) and how it happens often. One of the guys laughed and told me that he had heard that word for the first time earlier in the day.

There was a comedian, Gerry Dee, who has done a few stories on TSN. While they were playing the hockey game in our lounge that night, Gerry Dee was on talking about the Sutters (hockey family) and said: "Can you say nepotism?" when asking Darryl Sutter about his son (who plays hockey).

We had a whole discussion about coincidence and how once you hear a new word, all of a sudden it's everywhere.

The next day I head into work, sit down at the bar to have a bite before starting work and look at the television - which is playing the nepotism clip from the night before. The bartender says to a table behind me: "does that ever stop being strange?"

I turn around to see Gerry Dee sitting at the table behind me.

12 comments:

The Imaginary Reviewer said...

Whoo, spooky. That last line made the Twilight Zone music play in my head...

Oh, and I once read somewhere that Tori Spelling auditioned for 90210 under an assumed name and her Dad wasn't involved in the casting. Of course, this could be fibbery.

erin said...

I went to see Gerry Dee at Yuk Yuk's the other night. Funny guy. Tragic haircut.

Pretty Unfamous said...

"Small World" moments are so much fun! It's like the world really DOES work in unison.

BUT, Tori Spelling actually auditioned for 90210 using a pseudonym. Her father didn't even see her audition. She landed it on her own, and her father actually didn't want her (initially) for the role.

Andhari said...

Whoa, that's such a moment.

Jocelyn said...

Gary Dee is ubiquitous.

Which is another of those words you'll hear all the time now.

Andy said...

Hahaha... I've had those experiences often, and I must say, they're hilarious. For yourself. And then, other people don't see why you're laughing and you get considered weird.

Or is that just me?

Chele said...

I believe Oprah calls it the law or of attraction.

Anonymous said...

Hee hee.
Those sorts of things happen ALL the time! It's so freaky!
Little things like when I go to my local video rental and hire out seemingly random DVDs to get me through a quiet weekend.
I'll get home and realise that there is this ONE AND THE SAME actor in ALL of them...yet I never noticed in the store or didn't even know who was in them.

No wonder I get funny looks at Video Ezy.

Matt said...

Its true though...

if it wasn't for her daddy, Tori would be a nobody.

slopmaster said...

wow. that did that feel like at that moment?! O M G

paperback reader said...

Maybe he was just following you around. That's less eerie and more creepy.

rachaelgking said...

Second Matt. Not with that face, she wouldn't.