The World Is Small

   As many know, I spend part of my leisure time moving vehicles around the country.  At times I will shuttle another driver when there is an urgent need and the wait for public transportation is unfeasible.

   Yesterday I shuttled an individual to Ainsworth NE – I had never met him in my life.  He is 71 years old.  We began some casual conversation as it was a four plus hour drive. 

   Turns out he was in the Air Force for ten years active duty… further turns out, he did the same job I did specialty wise.  Conversation begins to pick up.  We begin telling umm, war stories… any old G.I. will understand.

   I began to tell him about the man who had influenced me the ‘most’ during my military career.  How he had molded me and pointed the way, telling me in the end to always be true to myself.  I never mentioned his name, only his nickname. “The Bear”. 

   So this guy tells me one of the best men he ever worked for and his name… I know you are ahead of me here, but can you believe this?  It was the same man – it has been 1970 since “I” worked for him, and this fellow had to have done so ‘before that!!

   In the end, reflecting on this incident, I was stunned.  I have looked ‘The Bear’ up on the internet – he is mid 70s these days; I will attempt calling him later today. :)