the universe must have a plan

so, crazy story...

while living in colorado, during the spring of '08, i began receiving a series of emails from strangers in new york city. the first stranger was called james avatar. james avatar was approaching 'meredith claire' about playing in his band of children's music he'd written. while it sounded lovely and all, i knew nothing of this 'james' character. i wrote him a very cordial email back about how interesting his project sounded and how i'd LOVE to be involved, i live in colorado and he apparently got the email address wrong.

we exchanged a few emails and became myspace friends, but our correspondence pretty much ended there.

i got sporadic emails from different new yorkers trying to reach this doppelganger meredith claire but no one ever wrote me back to clear up the mess- i'd ask them for her *actual* address, once they got it, so i could direct people there when they came to me.

fast forward 1 year. i decide to move to san francisco. i answer a craigslist add that was quirky and different with a response of quirk and difference and they liked me. they turned out to be my current loving, funny, ridiculous, crazy roommates abigail and ted.

abigail went to maine last week for some family time.

today was my first day of grad school.

upon leaving my amazing, tear-jerking class, i see that i've missed calls from both abigail and ted. 'oh no. did my rent check bounce?! wait. that's why i have no money. ok...weird.'

so i listen to abigail's rambling message about how some friends of a friend of hers are going to be in town tonight. what i can glean through navigating sidewalk traffic and wind noise in my ears is that they're a travelling acting troupe of 4 whose bus broke down and who need a place to stay in the city.

i was immediately like, 'ok. whatevs. sounds crazy.'

i call ted and he's like 'i'm not particularly inclined to do it, but perhaps we should help them out and be hospitable.' ted hasn't met these 'actors' either.

we decide to do it. it's for one night. we'll put them somewhere and it'll be cosy and fine.

i get home, grouchy from hunger, but elated from my school day. go across the street for a beer and an enormous, *delicious* piece of pizza (for $4.05), eat and am revived.

we listened to the audio bible, laughed, were appalled, made jokes, i wrote my last blog entry and we were enjoying a lovely, serene evening.

it was getting on 8pm and i was thinking/hoping that they wouldn't call. we were enjoying such peace and serenity and the anticipation was making me anxious. ted's comment that they might be crazy made me anxious.

9pm rolls around and they call from fisherman's wharf having done some 'busking' there.

ted goes down for a cigarette some time later, after a phone call, and comes back with our guests.

i see charlotte first in a hat of some kind, cowboy boots and floaty layers upon layers of skirts and various clothing items. i introduce myself as edi. she gives me a warm hug and i am immediately feeling welcoming. the man behind her shakes my hand and introduces himself as 'avatar'. i think...huh..?

we sit down, offer them water, we drink some wine, they're telling us their crazy story of their cross country adventure of madness and angels and visions and magic.

'avatar' catches sight of 'the organ' and starts asking questions. i invite him in to look at it and we start talking music.

while they were telling their story, it became clearer to me that this might be JAMES avatar from new york, as that's where they live.

'do you go by JAMES avatar?' i asked.

'yes...' he tentatively answered, as if bracing for something crazy.

'i think we might've exchanged emails a while back... i'm meredith claire.'

i can't quite describe the shock that took over his face. i think both of our heads exploded a little bit. we laughed, kind of crazed with exploded heads, shook hands, got goosebumps and came back to the kitchen to share what we'd just learned.

upon telling charlotte, she collapsed from her stool onto the floor and i think shrieked.

apparently new york meredith claire brought this guy duncan into their artists' collective. duncan knows abigail.

i moved in with abigail and ted from colorado.

james avatar is sleeping in the next room.

of my apartment.

in san francisco.

is your mind BLOWN?!

it should be...