So on my way home from my parents there’s a loves truck stop right before you cross back into Georgia. It has an Arby’s attached and the gas is always cheaper than Georgia so I always stop to fill up and get food or snacks and let my dog out on my way back home.
I pull into the Love’s today just to fill up and let my dog stretch his legs and is both pee. As soon as I pull in a man not quite as large as me but about 6’ with a big frame and small gut clicks me and proceeds to stare at me the whole time I circle the lot to find an open pump and have my car on the right side. He’s wearing workers coveralls with the top half high viz yellow, a Santa hat, and is holding a black 5 gallon bucket. As I get out of my car he’s approaching my pump and goes to pick up a big chunk of ice that’s fallen from the downspout and put it in the bucket. He’s once again staring at me.
I approach him now and before I can ask him if I can help him he says “sorry to bother you, is your name u/bonesawjonez?” I run his face through my head trying to find a place for him. Mid 50’s, mostly grey, closed cropped hair with some black hair still holding on. A 3 day beard with even less black hair holding on. An anxious smile and eyes that don’t seem harmful but seem rough and weathered. I’ve spent a third of my life as a bouncer and have a knack for faces, but I’ve also met to many in my time. I smile and ask if I know him.
“I met this guy earlier and we made friends. His name was Matt and he had a white Chevy and said he couldn’t take care of me but he’d send his brother u/bonesawjonez in a Florida state red lincoln and he said he was a big guy”
“Well my name is u/bonesawjonez “
He looks noticeably excited now and says “so you got what I need for a merry Christmas then”
At this point I’m completely beside myself and the hairs on my neck are standing up. I explain to him “my best friend Matt drives a white 2500 and we often call each other brother. I’m a big ol boy named u/bonesawjonez and that’s a Seminole’s red Lincoln, but I’m not from around here sir.”
His excited smile goes back to the anxious one and his eyes are searching my face back and forth “So do you got what I need? I’m not the police man, I work here. Do you got what I want for a good holiday”
“Sir I don’t know what you want and I’m just passing through on my way home to Atlanta. Maybe if I knew what you needed I could help you out?”
In my head I’m convinced that he’s tryin to buy drugs even though he doesn’t overtly look like a druggie, can’t be weed either though cause he’s just out and say that at this point, maybe moonshine or liquor cause the stores closed, I really have no idea. I do know he knew my name and said Matt had a white Chevy.
At this point he’s read my face enough for himself to be convinced I’m not the one. He says something like “I’m really sorry to bother you sir, I just thought you were someone else that’s all. Thought you were someone that could help me out a little today”
“ it’s alright sir you aren’t bothering anyone. This is a crazy coincidence cause my name is u/bonesawjonez and I got a Brother named Matt that drives that white Chevy, are you sure you can’t tell me what I need?”
He’s apologizing as he walks off, I realize there’s no ice in his bucket as I turn to walk in the store for the bathroom. After walking out of the bathroom he’s in there, he approaches me again “ I’m really sorry if I bothered you man, I just thought you were someone else and all. Trying to have a good day at work you know?” I say “You aren’t bother anyone.” As I put a hand to reassure him on his upper back and give him a smile “You sure you don’t wanna just tell me?”
I don’t wanna push it to hard but my mind is racing try to make sense of the odds of such a bizarre coincidence happening. He walks away nervously, almost cowering “Merry Christmas sir, sorry” and I go outside to finish at the pump and let my dog into the little dog park.
Immediately after leaving I called my friend to make sure he was nowhere near there and asking him if it was a prank he managed to pull by some stretch. It wasn’t. The rest of the ride home I spent questioning the events and my sanity. How could such an oddly specific and strange coincidence take place?