The Boston Diaries

The ongoing saga of a programmer who doesn't live in Boston, nor does he even like Boston, but yet named his weblog/journal “The Boston Diaries.”

Go figure.

Friday, May 23, 2003

Six Degrees of FAU

Not only is it a small world, but it's a self-intersecting one too.

The first time I realized this was 9th grade at the local bus stop. Half way through the year a new kid shows up at our stop and in overhearing a conversation I learn he's from North Carolina, which I felt was very cool since that's where I was from (more or less—we moved to North Carolina when I was five, then moved here to Lower Sheol (and I had yet to forgive my Mom this transgression) when I was ten; I was hardly from North Carolina) and wanting to know more, I asked him where he moved from.

“Brevard,” he said.

I could not believe it—I too was from Brevard. Upon further discussion we realized we knew the same set of kids too! We hadn't met because his family moved there about a year after we moved away.

Small world.

Today was another realization of the self-intersecting nature of this world.

I met my friend Ken D. at FAU to buy a telescope from him. I had met him only last year through one of the gaming groups I attend. We were in the parking lot talking about the changes to the campus since I last attended (oh, perhaps a good six to seven years or so), pointing out the hideous designs of the new buildings and the renovations of existing buildings (the Biology building had been completely gutted) when talk turned to Flemming Hall.

No, it had not been renovated yet, “and it still looks the same when I attended summer classes there in '86,” said Ken. “In 10th grade, I took part of a summer program they offered here.”

I could not believe it—I too participated in that same program (only I was in 11th grade). Turns out we took at least two classes together, or at least the same classes but possibly at different times. I don't remember him, and I don't think he remember me, but still, it's a wierd feeling when my past comes crashing into the present at such odd moments.

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[The future's so bright, I gotta wear shades]

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