A Coiincidence

A Coincidence



This is a note about one of the more unusual coincidences of my experience. It was most likely 1985, may have been 1986. I was working for IBM in Boca Raton, Florida, but was assigned to some task force at the Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. One of my sons was in Delta Force at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, had long hair, and wore three-piece five hundred dollar suits.



I decided to stay at a new motel on the Chapel Hill – Durham highway. I do not remember the name, but it was quite posh and strove to imitate an American’s idea of a European hotel. One evening I was to meet my son in the bar. I went in at the appointed time, and he was not there. In fact, the barman and I were the only ones there.



On a whim, I ordered Arak (Arak (distilled beverage) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). It made the barman’s evening as he was from Turkey and homesick. So I sat at the bar waiting for my son (who eventually showed dressed to the nines and apart from the long hair looking more like a BMer than I) sipping Arak and letting the barman cry on my shoulder.



I had never ordered Arak at an American bar before – and had drunk it only a few times in Turkey and similar. Was it a coincidence? Or did I unconsciously recognize the barman as a homesick Turk?



Possibly the Shadow knows.

Cyril