Several years ago I worked for a large insurance company. The Services department where I worked had an employee association, and every Christmas we would pick names for a gift exchange to be held at our company Christmas party. One particular year, we all had a good laugh when I and one of my co-workers (I’ll call her Donna) ended up with each other’s names. It was a pretty large group, so the odds of that happening were pretty slim. Everyone joked that we must have rigged it, but of course we hadn’t.
Although Donna and I often had lunch together, I really didn’t know her very well, so when it came time to shop for her, I had no idea what she would like. One evening, in desperation, I wandered up and down the shopping mall trying to come up with ideas. I didn’t want to give her a gag gift; I wanted it to be something she would like and could use. And of course I had a budget of $10, which made it more of a challenge.
I ended up at a kiosk that sold some really interesting earrings and necklaces made from seashells with gold leaf around the edges. I poked around for a bit and eventually settled on a pair of earrings that I liked and thought Donna would as well. Finally, I was done! I was happy with my purchase (and also a bit relieved)!
On the day of the Christmas party, all gifts were distributed at once so we could open them at the same time. I was apparently faster than Donna, and when I saw what she had gotten me, I gasped! I couldn’t believe it! Donna stopped what she was doing and asked me what was wrong. Didn’t I like my gift? “Yes!,” I said, “open yours!”
She opened the gift I had gotten her and burst out laughing! Not only had we chosen earrings from the same kiosk, we had also picked out the same type of shell for those earrings!
After comparing notes, we figured out that she had shopped first. Was it coincidence?…or had I picked something up from the vibration she left behind?
Mel Erickson: Writer, Traveler, Observer, Occasional Deep Thinker 