Ran into my old neighbor at the grocery store in Portland after 7 years

I was grabbing milk at the Fred Meyer on Hawthorne and saw her picking out apples. She looked the same but had a different last name. Has anyone here bumped into someone from their past in a random place?

2 comments

2 Comments

sethtorres2d ago

You know, I used to roll my eyes at people who said stuff like "the universe has a way of bringing people back around" or whatever. But then I was at a gas station in a town three hours from where I grew up, and I ran into my old high school chemistry teacher. We talked for like ten minutes about how I almost failed his class. Changed my whole view on how small the world really is, even in a big place like Portland. It's weird how timing works out like that sometimes.

blairstone2d ago

Pretty solid advice honestly. @sethtorres hit the nail on the head about timing being weird. When stuff like that happens, just roll with it. Don't overthink it or try to force a deep conversation - keep it light at first. Ask how they've been, mention the old street or whatever memory pops up naturally. If they seem open to it, great. If not, just say it was good seeing them and keep moving. Last time I bumped into someone from my past, I got their number and we still grab coffee every few months now. Worst case scenario, you never see them again, so no pressure.