***Today is WEIRD WEDNESDAY in which I talk about unusual stuff as it happens, if it happens within the week***

Believe in the paranormal? No? How about coincidences? Don’t believe in those either? I’m very skeptical about paranormal happenings, but I’m a big, no a huge, believer in coincidences because I’ve experienced some that are absolutely extraordinary.

Monday my belief grew.

Several months ago I bought a nice photo scanner and had a lot of fun scanning old photos, sending some off to my kids, printing some out of old friends we were going to visit so they could have copies, and just enjoying the whole process. Here’s one of my grandmother and aunt.  Isn’t that neat? How about those dresses?

Yes, loads of fun until the scanner broke. Totally quit working. Light wouldn’t go on. There was no way to open it up and change the light bulb. I thought that was odd. So, I emailed the company and quickly received a response. Things progressed to where I was given directions about how to send it off for repair or replacement. It cost me over $30 to buy a box and get it packed and sent via UPS with tracking. All on me. I figured I might have just thrown away over $30.

The email said it could take up to six weeks from the time they received the scanner until I got it back. Seemed like a long time, but I kept busy with other things. Two months went by, and no scanner. I waited another couple of weeks, then called them. Hate making such calls. Not only that, I had to leave a message, which I did. Detailed everything about it—my special number, when it was sent, when it was delivered to them, who signed for it and so on.

A man called back within fifteen minutes. That was the first surprise. He told me the scanner had been sent out on the 10th of this month, and it was due to arrive the day I called or the next day by Fed Ed. I figured since the guy had a chance to check up on the status of my scanner because I left such a detailed message, he had realized it hadn’t been sent, and he was going to Fed Ex it right away, so I should receive it the next day. Until he gave me a tracking number. Hmm.

I thanked him and hung up. Went on-line. Indeed the package had been sent on the 10th and was in my city, on the truck to be delivered to my house. Astonished, I looked out the window, and there was the Fed Ed truck pulling up in front.

And yes, my scanner was inside the box. Looks to be a replacement.

Now do you believe in coincidences? Paranormal happenings? Voodoo, maybe? Sure seemed like it to me.

When I say weird, I mean weird. And it is so improbable, I could never use it in a fictional story. The reader simply would not believe it. Do you have a wonderful story about a coincidence that happened to you? Please tell us about it in the comments.