Synchronicity - some Heart warming stories

There are events in our life which if noticed in the right perspective give us the understanding that there is a design to life which is operating through us  and around us .

Over the years there have been innumerable instances of things " just falling into place " like an unplanned chance meeting with a person or  delay helping in avoiding an unwanted encounter or a short cut found to discover a wanted object it happens all the time and one realises the perfect timing of Divine execution !

There are two incidents which took place in one long journey which I wish to talk about here to exhibit this if evidence is needed . The circumstances make them indelible memories and they stand out in detail in my mind though the occurred  about 30 years ago !

In the 80 's I found myself involved in the trade of Agricultural products , in West Africa and in 1985 I was in the Cote d'Ivoire purchasing goods from farmers and traders for packaging and export to Europe and other parts of the world .  

In those days there was no Internet and  mobile phones were still far away . There were no Bank networks with a widespread presence as today and almost all the transactions were done in cash which had to be carried to the farm gates as cheques were not usable . This added to the difficulties  making the terrain even more hostile . Goods had to bought in the hinterland and then trucked down to Abidjan for loading into ships sailing out from there .

Anyway to cut to the chase - there was an occasion which required me to journey about 700 kms to effect a purchase and since the means of transport was by road I packed the required currency ( which was voluminous ) in a bag in the back of the car ( with necessary camouflage ) and along with my trusted local agent  Mr Moussa Cherif set out in my Peugeot . For some reason , the days activities delayed the departure from Abidjan and we could leave town only in the evening . 

The first leg of the journey was on a good road , a network of which Cote D'Ivoire was known for in the region and everything was going well with me at the wheel and Moussa comfortably dozing in the passenger seat . Well every thing was going well till three things happened 

The night which falls quickly in the region caught up with us , a squall of rain also did and thirdly the wipers of the car stopped working ! Well there was nothing to it but to keep moving as with the cash and the territory of the Bush there was no sense in stopping , So with the lights picking up the grass at the verge I drove into the next big town and stopped at a kiosk serving Coffee .

By then the rain had subsided but it was almost 9.30 pm and the normally sleepy town seemed to have gone to bed earlier than usual because of the weather . The kiosk owner said he could provide the hot beverage . I enquired if any mechanic was to be found and the look he gave me clearly questioned my mental balance but with a polite shake of the head he turned towards his shelf to make the cheering cup .

I was perched on one his stools and just then another person came and set on the one next to mine . The kiosk man turned to give me my Café Noir and seeing this other man , his jaw dropped , as if he had seen an apparition . He looked at him and then at me and said " Here is a car mechanic " 

Of course , then introductions quickly followed and quickly downing our coffee I was conducted to his small workshop where he raised the lowered shutters and repaired the problem and we could continue our journey .

O being asked he told me that due to the rain he had gone to bed earlier than usual but suddenly woke up with a craving for coffee and after debating on the pros and cons of stepping out at that time in that weather he was driven to take the short walk to the kiosk !

In my book this is synchronicity !

The second incident took place on the second leg of the same journey almost as if the Universe wanted to emphatically drive home a point !

After this town our journey to the North East of the country required us to take some secondary untarred roads through the veritable bush which meandered through villages and vegetation . Driving in the night , in the bush can be quite enchanting at times as sometimes we could glimpse , in the lights of the car , eyes peering out at us and of course the daring hares are always upto their game of dare leaping across the beams . From time to time we could hear the beat of drums from not too distant villages 

What happened was that one of the tyres decided to give up and flatten out . The spare tyre , in that model was stored under the trunk , on the outside, held by a bracket which had been chained and padlocked for security . The key of the lock refused to open it because of the long unfamiliarity with the lock as well as all the effects of dust and corrosion on the mechanism .

Moussa and I applied all our technical knowledge in try to open the lock and even used blunt power of banging the chain between two stones etc, The lock obviously was made of stern stuff and despite the torture and duress stood its ground steadfastly loyal to its duty . 

Huffing and panting from our exertions and resigned to spending the night there we sat down by the side and lo and behold we see a light approaching accompanied by the sound of a motorcycle engine . At midnight, or close to it , it was a brave soul venturing out but I was not sure if his bravery would extend to stopping by a strange car at that time .

BUT he did ! On hearing of our predicament he opened the tool box of his bike and came out with some implements but the lock did not budge . The Good Samaritan gave up and went on his way , only to return in a while with a chisel and hammer . On seeing these instruments the chain and lock surrendered and all went swimmingly after that !

The man turned out to be an accountant of the local cooperative and had come to a village to check their books and as evening caught up with him decided to stay the night . According to him , he suddenly had remembered an urgent task at home which needed him to be there early and so had decided to take the road . On checking , it seems he woke up to the urgent need around the time we sprang a flat .

By the way the story does not end here - due to all the delays in starting out and on the way , the trader had sold the consignment to the agent of another exporter who lured him with a higher price and also he was not sure whether  we were coming as promised .

The final twist in the tail / tale which nails everything for me - I later heard that the consignment shipped by the other ran into quality problems and a subsequent claim from the buyer in Europe !!

Ultimately , in the final analysis , everything happened for the best and I was thoroughly convinced of this !