Random!

While I was at Massey Tuesday evening for the junior fellow lecture, I met two guys who were taught by both my father and grandfather back at Ashbury College in Ottawa. They graduated high school in 1990---8 years before I did---and both also attended the junior school, which is where my dad and granddad taught. It was so random meeting those two.

I introduced myself to one of the men because he was an unfamiliar face, and he was sitting with a friend of mine. Then I saw him later and asked him again what his name was, because of course I had forgotten. It turned out that he was just visiting the college with an alum friend of his, who presently appeared. We introduced ourselves to each other. The man's first name was familiar.

See, at some point in the recent past I noticed that one of my father's old students seemed to have a connection to Massey. (I think I saw that he became "friends" with Masseyites I knew on Facebook.) I'd heard this guy's name a lot growing up: my dad was very fond of him and he was very bright, etc. So I remembered his uncommon name and noticed it. Then when I heard the friend's name, I asked him was his surname was . . . and, sure enough, it was him! "You know my father, DP!" "Yes, Mr. P! He was my favourite. Actually, we both know him, and his father too." Crazy!

They proceeded to tell me a few stories, but by then the lecture was starting, and as an organizer, I had to dash off. I got the men's business cards, and later e-mailed my dad to let him know. He will get a kick out of his happening, for sure. (My grandfather died in 1989, and he had Alzheimer's, so I don't remember much about him. But he made a big impression on the two guys I met last night. It was nice to hear.)