Jim and Debbie Barrett

WHEN OUR PATHS CROSSED

I am generally amazed at how life in all of its chaos can find a spark in the most random places and ignite a fire to burn the ages. Who would have thought that a chance encounter over adult beverages would have been history in the making? She didn't show up on that night looking to start a conversation that would change her whole life, and I was certainly not thinking Oh, tonight could be my one chance to find my soul mate. It was just like any other night at a country bar in Oklahoma City, where the pounding music echoed off the walls, and the flashes of lights energized the room.

Unfamiliar faces moved in and out of my line of sight, a tapestry of lives intertwining, each person with their own stories yet to be told. The air was filled with the scent of spilled tequila and perfume and the sound of glasses clinking and chattering, as if time itself had slowed down to allow for this fleeting moment.

Then there she was, laughing with friends, her bright smile cutting through the dim lighting like a beacon. We spoke but, there was no brilliant conversation, just a couple of laughs and a shot from the bar. We said our goodbyes and exchanged numbers. It was a passing moment with only fond memories of the smile and the shot.

2001-01-20