Against the odds

I encountered a coincidence this weekend of such apparent astronomic odds that I cannot get my head around it. I was staying at a friend's house with my wife at the weekend. To understand this whole story we have to go back a few years. My wife is from Finland. 18 years ago she visited England on a course. I was working at the time. 4 years later I decided to go to Essex University. During my first summer break I interviewed for a job with the EFL department and got the job as a social organiser. It was my job to take the foreign students our, lay on visits, sports events and cultural activities for the 6 weeks they were there. A great job. Then, during the following March I was invited to work another week, during term time to do the same job for a group of visiting Fins. Of all the Fins that arrived I fell for the girl who is now my wife. We have been together for 14 years now and during that time I have had many jobs (IT contractor). Move forward 10 years from this point. I was doing some sales work for my company to HMRC. I met this guy, who I was trying to sell to, and over the course of the next year or so became good friends. We mostly lunch. It was he who invited over to his place this weekend. We met his girlfriend for the (actually) 2nd time. We were discussing where my wife and I had met and my wife pointed out that she first came to England on a course to Aldeburgh. At which point my friend’s girlfriend asked if my wife stayed at such and such a bed and breakfast.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, they were on that course together all those years ago and stayed in the same bed and breakfast. The odds of me getting together with my wife, my friend meeting his girlfriend, and my befriending this guy are so mind boggling as to be quiet unbelievable.

And yet, have I ever won a penny on the lottery. Have I bollocks!