More Serendipity From the Universe

Well, this year’s Marigold Festival was quite the experience!

I love going to this festival because I live in the town where it’s held. This means I get to see a lot of folks I already know. On Saturday, I was at my booth when my mailman strolled by with his wife. I said, “Hey, it’s my favorite mailman!” His wife grinned, “Aw, he’s everybody’s favorite mailman!” I spread my hands to encompass the books on the table and said, “This is what you’ve been bringing me all these weeks.”

He panned over the books, and pointed to Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital. “My great-great-grand-uncle,” he said, “is Dr. Zeller.”

And the weekend’s discoveries weren’t over yet. On Sunday, one of the other vendors came up to my booth. I knew she was another vendor because she was wearing a nametag with the name of her booth — a nametag which read “Laura Derry”.

Now, I know some people are really into genealogy, and some people aren’t. On a hunch, I asked, “Do you happen to know who some of your ancestors are?”

With a wide grin, she looked me in the eye and said one word: “Rhoda.”

I was stunned. Speechless! I’m sure I looked like a complete dork for a few moments as I stood there with my mouth opening and closing like a fish, smiling like I’d lost  my mind. Finally I had the presence of mind to grab up a copy of 44 Years in Darkness and thrust it at her. She ended up buying two copies of the book, one for herself, and one to send to her cousin in Alabama, who DOES do genealogy.

So yes, it was a momentous festival for me.