Small World

I was up surfing the net last night when SY whom I got to know in New York IMed me asking whether my father is a lawyer of this and this name from this and this part of Malaysia. Yes, that's my father, I said. Conversation ended prematurely there as she had to leave for somewhere.

So I asked dad for details and yes, he does know this and this lady who, with another fellow air stewardess, was dating his friends when they were bachelors in the roaring 70s. In fact, dad claims that both him and SY's mom had gone out on several dates but those dances and dinners never evolved into a relationship. Dad was constantly out of town for work and was already dating another girl. She later became an item with dad's good friend who had just passed away recently. Her fellow air stewardess friend went out with another of dad's friend too.

We always claim how small the world is. I'd say there are several levels on which such social phenomenon happens. The more common one is that we know of a friend who knows a mutual/common friend. Not too much hype here as the odds of people of similar age and similar educational background to know another's friend is pretty high. The more amazing one is how you get to befriend someone who is the child of your parent's long lost friend.