A Happy Coincidence

As the TV commercial for financial services says, “Life comes at you fast.” It can also deal out quite a few surprises, some good, and others … well, you can fill in the rest of the blanks.

Friday night, though, was, for Priscille and me, a happy occasion. We had gone out to Luna Rossa’s Italian eatery in Pluckemin to celebrate our wedding anniversary. That section of Bedminster so closely abuts the northwest tip of Bridgewater, that it might as well be part of the township.

We had reservations for an early evening dinner, arriving just about an hour or so before working people start dribbling in. Our server made sure that the wine glasses were steadily filled with Chianti, as we slowly dined our way through warm bread, appetizers, and a salad. It was just about then, that four Bridgewater friends spotted us as they approached to be seated at the next table.

What a pleasant surprise it was to see the Tracys and the Conlons, who live at opposite ends of Bridgewater. Both couples are long-standing residents here. John Tracy served with me on the Bridgewater-Raritan Board of Education and became a trusted ally. Bernie Conlon was also a backer. Their wives, Susan and Barbara, were part of a group of rock-solid, active women supporters.

Today, these four are simply friends with whom we are able to share wonderful memories of times past, as we bump into one another along the path of life in Bridgewater Township. Most of us have recollections of life’s events from which we have grown and learned, (some of which we’d just as soon forget!).

On the other hand, some of those memories are identified with the cheery, smiling faces of friends that, when fate causes them to cross our paths once in a while, only evoke the best of thoughts. The two couples we bumped into at Luna Rossa’s last night comfortably fall into the second category.