Chance

Timing. Aidan to preschool. 9:00 a.m. To town. Look for place to park. One space left in metered lot. Coin in. Stroller out. No plan. To bank. ATM being serviced. Think about cashing check. Too hungover. Too lazy. Door in my way. Guy starts talking to me about my kid. To my kid. ATM finished being serviced. Money out. Across street. Sit to table. Guy from ATM sitting at table next. Bagel for Cole. Order two eggs scrambled. Toast with butter. Potatoes. Coffee. Cream and sugar. Cole shakes head. I shake head. Cole laughs. I laugh. Food comes. Can't eat. Feed eggs to Cole. Yellow and rubbery. Ask for box. Waitress says, "Not hungry?" Think about explaining. Waitress says, "We need spring." "Yeah." Woman enters. Recognize her. But where? Ah. Kindermusik. With Lily. She joins her husband, guy from ATM. Get up to leave. Guy says, "Excuse me." "Yes?" "We taught our girls sign language. Over a hundred signs. It's a good way to communicate." Cole in stroller. Coat on. Hood up. Walk towards coffee shop. Cool air. Droplets of rain. Blowing. Feed Cole toast. Recognize man crossing street with cup of ?, white paper bag. Silver car. New? Pulls away. In door. Backwards with stroller. Small today. Out. Walk one way. Turn. Walk another. Spill. Choose path by bank. Red brick. Black truck. Patriot guy. Three in front. Talk. Kiss baby. Cross street. Into car. Drive away.

Two people I am most thinking about. One after the other.

Running in dream through day. Thinking about timing. A little earlier. A little later. Is it what we call chance? Unpredictable with no assignable cause? I'm not sure that I agree.