Wednesday, October 17, 2007

When Worlds Collide

Tonight I was putting Joe-Henry to bed and the phone rang. It was a parent from his school (one of the few that I actually feel like I have something in common with) calling about volunteering. I had put calls out earlier in the day about a couple events coming up and she was rsvp-ing. We'd talked briefly before - she has a son who is deaf, and she teaches ASL at the School for the Deaf in our neighborhood. Previously we had talked about ASL lessons, and her Etsy shop, and I knew that she was a committed parent AND a crafty girl. And very, very bright.

So, while we're having this conversation, she mentioned that she used to live in LA, and I pounced - THAT's why she seemed so familiar! But while we talked about shows we worked on and things we did in LA, even though we lived fairly close, I knew that wasn't it. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks.

When Charley and I lived in Seattle, right after we got married, we got hired to do recurring guest spots on a short lived television show playing a couple getting married. He needed a heart transplant, and there was lots of drama and tears, and it was really a fun job to have, being newlyweds and all. I got to wear a big poofy wedding dress and feel okay about it, because it wasn't actually MY dress. I remember having long conversations about marriage with the costumer, who was also getting married, over a weekend when we weren't shooting. She was adorable and friendly and open, and both Charley and I loved her, and thought she was the best part of working on that set.

Well, you see where this is going, don't you? When I finally asked her if she lived in Seattle, and if she had ever worked on Medicine Ball, she took a deep breath in - and we had that moment of forehead slapping, "OH MY GOD THAT WAS YOU!"

And here we are, on the PTO of an Elementary School in Vancouver, Washington. The world just doesn't get much smaller than that. We are definitely going for coffee to catch up on this new life, where what we have in common is even more exciting than showbiz.

6 comments:

suttonhoo said...

that is SO FREAKING COOL! i've got serious chills -- what a wonderful small world.

and, uh, thanks by the way, for driving me to my first impulse purchase of the day.

I'm a sucker for felt and baby slings.

her work is stunning -- please pass along my compliments.

Lolabola* said...

oooh! that's an awesome link.

what a crazy happening. I love it when things like this occur.

Donna said...

Oh wow, not only on the coincidence, but did you ever get to work with Timothy Omundsen??? I absolutely love/hate the guy in "Jericho" on CBS!!! Such a change from his Judging Amy character.

Small world moments are the best, especially when it's someone nice!

Anonymous said...

I love the universe when that happens.

anniemcq said...

YES! Tim is a really nice guy. We weren't best friends or anything, but we would occasionally run into him in LA and he was always so nice. I love that he's having a nice career now!

Donna said...

Oooh, I haven't been so jealous since I found out the Pioneer Woman kissed James Garner in an elevator!!! Be sure you watch the new episodes of Jericho at mid-season--I hope Tim's character doesn't get killed in the first episode. If you ever run into him again, tell him one of your readers was one of the nuts who saved Jericho!