An Improbable Epiphany

I sat waiting for a traffic light this morning, as I often do. Alongside me was an SUV in the left lane. There was a car in front of each of us, and the light remained red as I watched the SUV suddenly roll forward and slam into the car in front of it. I don't know if the guy's foot slipped, or he was daydreaming and thought the light had changed, but he simply moved without warning. As he hopped out of his car to confront the man he'd struck, the light finally turned green. A school bus behind him veered around to the left, horn blaring, and nearly hit the guy. I drove on in disbelief.

Work was hectic, moreso than usual since I took a vacation day yesterday. By lunch things quieted down somewhat, and it was time to go to Best Buy for an extended warranty on my new camera, and to Office Max so one of my friends could buy a new metal filing cabinet. As usual, things did not go smoothly for me. I had everything I needed. I had my receipt as well as the receipt from the day I exchanged the camera. I had the paperwork filled out, including the camera's serial number. But when the kid in the camera department asked to see the camera, I learned there was one thing I didn't have.

I explained that I had the serial number and a receipt, but it didn't matter. The store policy is to inspect any merchandise before issuing the plan, to ensure it's not defective. More importantly, he pointed out, it's possible in the two weeks since buying the camera that I could already have damaged it. I couldn't argue with the logic, though I allowed myself the usual self-pity and amazement that everything unlikely happens to me. The weather's been so beautiful lately too. I'd prefer to spend lunch outdoors, not running errands, and now two days in a row I'd have to go to Best Buy. No one has it worse than me. Nothing goes right for poor me.

Next door, in Office Max, my friend had located the cabinet he wanted on the floor. Unfortunately, there wasn't one in stock, and he predicted that before the clerk returned to tell us as much. They allowed him to purchase it, and promised they'd order it and have it there in the next day or so. “Why is nothing there when you need it to be?” he asked.

As the day went on, I started thinking about all the people in my life, and in the world. Each of us, at the center of our own universe, navigates a daily obstacle course in pursuit of various goals. Someone could get into an accident when all cars are standing still. Other people run into challenges when making major purchases. Could I be wrong about my theories of improbability? Is it possible that other people have problems, that unlikely and unexpected difficulties can pop up at any time? Are we as human beings united by the truth that anything that can go wrong, often will?

Naaaah.