History

“I knew it like destiny, and at the same time,
I knew it as choice.”
― Jeanette Winterson, Lighthousekeeping

“You often meet your fate
on the road you take to avoid it.”
― Goldie Hawn

Because you were in such a hurry
to catch a bus a train a plane
or were staring too intently at your phone
or were overly keen to get to your car
before the parking expired
or you changed direction
and opted not to have a drink
in that pub
or a meal at that restaurant
or you weren’t in the mood
for a show
or felt ill
and chose not to go
to a birthday party

paths didn’t cross
and you didn’t get to know
so and so
who could have turned out to be
your next best friend
and you didn’t bump
into him or her
who may have become your partner
or at least your lover for a while
- it might have been the start of an affair
which could, most likely would,
have ended in tears
because a third party always gets hurt
even though ‘no one was ever supposed to’

but if you had gone there
or there
on that particular day
at that particular time
you wouldn't have ended up here
our paths wouldn't have crossed
and the rest, as they say,
wouldn’t be history.