Skip to content
  • Epic Quest
  • Contact Me!
  • About Me
Instagram YouTube Facebook
Menu

Writer. Traveler. Tea Drinker.

Writer. Traveler. Tea Drinker. Doing all three in China
Instagram YouTube Facebook
  • Epic Quest
  • Contact Me!
  • About Me
Hit enter to search or esc to close
Home  >  China  >  Another Insane Coincidence
Posted inChina

Another Insane Coincidence

Posted By Becky Ances Posted on June 2, 2014
Please install Travelera Share Buttons plugin

Jimmy and I meeting decades after we last saw each other.
Jimmy and I meeting decades after we last saw each other.

So, about a year ago I wrote how I randomly met a guy from my hometown and what an unbelievable crazy coincidence it was.
Well, I got a story that can top it now.
A few weeks ago I was talking to my mom and she mentioned she ran into an old neighbor. The neighbor asked her what her kids were up to an my mom told her I was in China. “Jimmy is also in China,” the former neighbor replied.
Jimmy is a boy I used to babysit when I was about 10-11 years old. He was a few years younger than me, had a younger sister and lived just down the street from us. My brother and I would babysit for them often.
But we moved out of the neighborhood when I was about 12 and despite growing up in the same town, I never saw them again. Jimmy was four grades lower than me, and we never attended the same school at the same time.
But thanks to modern technology I looked him up on Facebook (as me and my mom were skyping) and friend requested him. I was a little worried he wouldn’t remember me in all honesty. It was decades ago, and I have very few memories of him (and I was the older one).
But turns out he did remember me (he said me and my bro were his favorite babysitters, ha!) and not only that he would be in Hangzhou the following weekend. So friday night we met and spent our reunion at KTV. While it was loud and crazy we managed to do a 30-second summary of our lives and chat between songs.
Even better, because he’s close to my age, we got to sing some classics I usually never get to do because people think they are “too old” or don’t know it. We sang Soundgarden, Men at Work, Bowie, Billy Joel and even crooned out The Lady’s a Tramp by Sinatra.  It was pretty awesome.
It was truly an insane coincidence. And it shows a part of “magical living” in China. If I ran into Jimmy in America it would be a little crazy. If I ran into him in my hometown, it would be a funny coincidence. Or if I ran into him in Boston, or LA, it would be pretty crazy, but not insane or mind-blowing. But meeting him in China? Where we both live?! INSANE!
You could easily use the word fate or destiny (in the non-romantic sense) to describe it. It’s shows you how small the world really is. It becomes more than just a meeting between old friends but something more profound.
It’s funny because as my favorite students graduated I lamented to them many times that I would never see most of them ever again. I was trying to teach them the realities of life, that life always pushes you forward and you need to be realistic and not delude yourself that you’ll be with these people forever.
And then I go and have an experience like that. Guess life had another lesson for me: you never know what’s gonna happen in the future. Expect anything.
Hey got me meet some of my friend (Tiook and Jason on the right) and I got to meet a bunch of his friends and we all had an amazing fun night together.  The magic of living in China.
He got me meet some of my friend (Tiook and Jason on the right) and I got to meet a bunch of his friends and we all had an amazing fun night together. The magic of living in China.

Tags: babysit china life coincidence jimmy magical living
Previous Article Forget What I Said Before. My Love from Another Star Sucks.
Next Article Today is Just a Normal Day

Related Posts

What’s the Laziest Way up a Mountain? This Way.

As I rode the slick new escalators up the side of the mountain in the Xiamen botanical Gardens, I hated myself a little. Why was I here, supporting the destruction and abuse of this gorgeous natural mountain? I mean, is there anything lazier than taking an escalator up a mountain?

Read More about What’s the Laziest Way up a Mountain? This Way.
Please install Travelera Share Buttons plugin

The Instagrammification of a Beach

You’d think in a country where Instagram was blocked there would be no Instagrammification of places. But then you’d be wrong…very wrong.

Read More about The Instagrammification of a Beach
Please install Travelera Share Buttons plugin

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Recent Posts

  • What’s the Laziest Way up a Mountain? This Way.
  • From Zero Covid to Zero F&#*s
  • The Instagrammification of a Beach
  • The Stuff of Nightmares
  • The (Surprising) Best Chinese Food for a Picnic

Archives

Categories

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Recent Posts

  • What’s the Laziest Way up a Mountain? This Way. Becky Ances January 31, 2023
  • From Zero Covid to Zero F&#*s Becky Ances December 29, 2022
  • The Instagrammification of a Beach Becky Ances November 21, 2022
  • Popular
  • Recent
  • The Swiss Family Robinson are a Bunch of Jerks December 11, 2009
  • Making it Official: My Chinese Boyfriend December 7, 2012
  • Good Chinese Wife Review and a Chance to Win a Free Book!! July 27, 2014
  • 10 Signs You've Lived in China a Long Time March 29, 2014
  • What’s the Laziest Way up a Mountain? This Way. January 31, 2023
  • From Zero Covid to Zero F&#*s December 29, 2022
  • The Instagrammification of a Beach November 21, 2022
  • The Stuff of Nightmares September 12, 2022

Subscribe Now to Our Newsletter, It’s Free!

Get the best content delivered straight into your inbox!

Facebook Twitter Google+

About

I’m an American who has been living in China for more than a decade! This is my blog where I muse about all things China. Please also check out my YouTube channel “Badminton Becky” and my other badminton blog at www.badmintonbecky.com

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

Recent Posts

  • What’s the Laziest Way up a Mountain? This Way. January 31, 2023
  • From Zero Covid to Zero F&#*s December 29, 2022
  • The Instagrammification of a Beach November 21, 2022
© Copyright 2017. Theme by BloomPixel.