Chance Encounters
When I first interviewed for the job that I now hold, I sat in a lobby/reception area waiting to meet with my employer. The company is in an office building that houses several different businesses. While waiting, I could see out to the hallway where people from other companies would pass by on their way home for the evening. I hadn't been sitting there long, when a woman passed by, talking on her cell phone. I saw her; she saw me and stopped. We had worked together years ago at a company that was maybe 3 miles away from where we both now were. I knew the company that the worked for (not the one that I was interviewing with), but I didn't know they were housed in this building.
Though on the phone, she
mouthed: "Are you interviewing?" I nodded and she mouthed
back "Good luck" and continued on her way. I took it as a good
sign. I think it was. Three weeks later I was offered the job.
Although she works in one of
the suites on my floor, I rarely see her. So I do think it was a
"message" when she just happened to pass as I was sitting there.
It seemed to me more than just a chance meeting.
Earlier this week I was sitting
in my cubicle working. My boss was in this week (he travels extensively
and works remotely for the most part). I didn't know if he was in yet,
but I decided to head down the hall and see if his light was on. As I got
closer I could see his door was closed (a sign that he was interviewing a
potential new sales person), but it opened as I turned to head back down the
aisle. He was moving the candidate from his office to the HR office and
motioned for me to wait. I waited...and with a stunned expression on my face.
The woman in his office was yet another former co-worker!
Although we did not know each
other well (we did not directly work with each other), I recognized her as she
did me. We exchanged brief pleasantries and then moved on. (She to
meet with HR and I to speak with my boss.)
Midday, I went out to run some
errands. Coming back in the building, who was stepping off the elevator,
but the woman my boss had been interviewing. I would have sworn she had
left an hour or so ago, but it turns out she met with someone else and was just
wrapping up. I don't know if seeing me was a good sign for her or not;
they haven't finished interviewing candidates as far as I know, but you have to
admit that this was another interesting chance encounter!
But my chance encounters of the
week did not end there. A day later I was heading down the hall to the
ladies room (which is shared by all the offices in the floor). It was
closed for cleaning, so I headed for the stairway to try the 2nd floor.
On my way, I saw a young woman heading in the direction of the bathrooms,
so I told her that it was closed. We chatted as we headed down a floor,
but it wasn't until we were washing our hands that she mentioned that I looked
familiar to her!
No, we hadn't worked together
before! (I'll be honest, I panicked because I didn't recognize her face
at all.) But it turns out we did attend the same church at one point.
(I am still active; she is not. Since she lives in the general area
I tried to persuade her to come visit some time.) When her dad was alive
we sang in choir together and her aunt is a friend of mine as well. She
works at the same company as my former co-worker (my "good luck"
charm) and has for a while, but this was the first time we spoke.
UPDATE: The chance encounters continue! Was in the parking lot of one of the shopping centers a mile or so away from where I work. I hear someone calling my name, it is ANOTHER former co-worker who just happened to be shopping on her lunch hour at the same place. Now, my old job and current job are only about 5 miles apart, but this was the first time we bumped into each other in the year since I started here. And the first time we've seen each other since 2012!
Again, it goes to show you never know who you might bump into as you're walking down the street!
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