This is a true story as told to me by one of my clients and printed here with her permission. I have changed the names and geographical locations to preserve her anonymity

"I went to New York state with my supervisor to check out the language institute at a local  college.  We stayed at a place called the Sea View Inn.  The clam chowder on the first night was superb!  The second night when I went to the dining room, they said that they were out of clam chowder, which, left me quite perplexed because it wasn't even close to closing time! So, after my dinner, I wrote on the comment sheet that I thought it was strange that there was no clam chowder.  I also left my name and phone number. 

 The next night when I went in, I stopped the really cute chef that I had seen earlier and asked him if they had clam chowder tonight.  He said, "Oh, was that you who wrote the comment?"  I said, "Yes."  He said, "Oh.  I must apologize.  We only had one bowl left and I told the waitress that I was going to eat it instead of her trying to sell it to someone.  So, I ate it." 

 My supervisor and I were laughing at how honest he was.  He then proceeded to call the waitress over and tell her that he was going to give me a bowl of clam chowder on the house.  While we waited, I asked him where he was from and he told me that his parents were from Lebanon, but that he and his parents had been in New York State  for 20 years.  I began to speak Arabic to him and he was very struck.

He came out to check on us and I asked him if he ever prepared any Middle Eastern dishes there at the restaurant.  He said, "When's the next time that you're going to be here?"  I said, "Well, I 'm from Virginia, so.....no time soon.  He says, "Well, do you drive?" (GSM, I thought this was a rather "random" question).  I said, "Yes."  He said, "Well, I'm going to leave my number with you.  Let me know when you're coming and I"ll prepare a special dish for you."  He then said, "I'm thinking about moving to NC."  I then said, "Oh, me too!  But don't tell my boss!"   

So, later on after my meal, I decided to go check my e-mail.  After about 5 minutes of me being in the computer room, he came and talked to me.  He asked me how far NC was from VA and said that maybe when he got to NC, he could look me up.  So, I gave him my phone number and e-mail address.    Earlier, I was wondering if he had given me his work phone number or cell and he told me that it was......HIS CELL.  Wow.  By the way, he also told me that he would like to take me to this very nice restaurant next time I came because the food there is just awesome.  GSM, I think you're very, very right about the trusting part.  He kinda reminds me of myself.  I gave him my first and last name AND email address!

It would be nice to have a new friend......Anna"

I did a reading on  this meeting and it appears that it is the start of a long and lasting friendship and who knows what else as time goes on.

For those of you out there that feel you never meet anyone, buck up, you never know when, where, or how it will happen.

Anyone having an interesting or unusual meeting I invite you to share it with the rest of us. Please post it in the comments section... We are all eyes!!!!!!