by Katerina Maher

Created on: March 22, 2010

Serendipity: a strange sounding word describing a series of strange events that hopefully line up positively.

Hopefully.

This story is an example of how fate sometimes needs to point an laugh at someone, and how, for 24 hours, that someone was me.

The night I volunteered to usher at my college's graduation ball, I was unaware of how the night would pass.  At first it was an interesting party, where I, with my half-Asian alcohol tolerance, became a bit too outspoken. Yet, thankfully, everyone simply found me to be amusing. Then there was the close-knit afters at a house.

For the first time ever, I was the girl who fell asleep on the couch.

When I woke up still dizzy, I found my purse was gone, I was in a house owned by two gay men, (whom I luckily did know), and my head hurt.  As I gathered my things and walked out the door, a taxi pulled up. The driver walked out holding my purse! I, still inebriated, rushed forward and almost hugged him! I, then, hopped into the taxi and asked him to drive me home.

On the way, I discovered I only had enough money to get three quarters of the way home.  This was, coincidentally, very close to my friend Anton's house.  I called him and told him I was coming over to sleep on his "Buddha Bag". I arrived, and there was no Buddha Bag to be found. He had sold it, so he pushed over and I crawled into his bed.  We did away with our "just friends" status that night.

In the morning, I left somewhat awkwardly and still in a daze.  I decided I should call one of my friend's to clear my head. Except my phone had disappeared.... I had left it and my coat at Anton's house. I rushed back, but he was no longer in the house.

I later contacted Anton and arranged to pick it up. When I rang the doorbell, an older man opened the door. Considering Anton lived with two other young men, I was quite taken aback. The gentle, older man smiled, asked me who I was looking for. 

"Anton?" I nervously replied.

"Oh yes, he'll be right back. Come on in," said the man, inviting me into the house, "I'm Anton's father."

My eyes widened beyond any normal human range. Nervously smiling, I shook his hand and prayed that he could not tell what his son and I were up to only a few hours ago. I spotted my coat, with my phone in the pocket and quickly retrieved it.  I then proceeded to try explaining how I was really only over to retrieve my coat.

"No, no! Stay! We're celebrating Christopher's 28th birthday!" he exclaimed, nudging me into the next room. Christopher was Anton's brother, and the instant he saw me, I could tell he had met my outspoken, drunken-self from the night before. Cringing, I obediently sat, trying to hide from the evil grin. No sooner had I sat down, and Anton's sister walks into the room! She also had remembered me from the night before. The two of them shared a mocking, although good-natured smile, while I tried to look presentable. Slowly wishing myself invisible, Anton finally appeared. 

He made up an excuse for me to bow out, (although the gracefully part had since long past), and I half-sprint out the door.

That is the story of how for 24hours, the stars aligned so that I could look ridiculous, in almost every possible way.

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