Place and Time

I and a few buddies from my hometown back East would meet every year for a week of skiing in Aspen throughout the 80's and 90's. I tell this story often because it involved a very weird coincidence.

One morning as we made our way down toward the mid mountain Lodge (Bonnie's as I remember it)  I had to ask everyone to wait while I stopped for a bio-break.  If you have skied with a group, you know that such stoppages are annoying but inevitable and with a lot of good natured (I hoped) ribbing ringing in my ears, I shed my equipment and clomped my way down to the men's room.  Since it was mid morning the lodge was nearly empty.  But there, a few stalls over, was a person I instantly recognized as John Oates of Hall & Oates.  Not wanting to be an obnoxious fan, I just made small talk.  He was soft spoken, returned some small talk of his own and wished me a good day as he left. 

Well, nothing that unusual in that, you say.  I agree but the weird part came the following year.  Same mountain, same time of day, same biological urge as we approached the same lodge.  So once again I found myself in the same men's room as my buddies waited impatiently outside.  There, believe it or not, a few stalls down, was John again.  I said something like "How you doing? Back again this year I see."  And he said "Yes, you guys too?".  That was it.

I never was a big fan of the Hall & Oates sound but since then I made an effort to appreciate their music more.