Serendipity

This morning, I was in The Rocks, and a band was playing – a double bass, electric guitar, a saxophone, drums and a vocalist (at the muzak end of swing, but very listenable).

I was reminded of a magic evening a few years ago.

I was working in Wellington, NZ on a company acquisition. It happened to be an all female team at that stage of the deal – the client, and three consultants. After a long day, we went out for a quick bite to eat, and were strolling back to our hotel when we walked past the foyer of a theatre, which had a swing band in its lobby bar. It was three or four 20 something guys. I can’t remember the instruments exactly, but they were young, enthusiastic, and fantastic. We sat at a table close-ish to the front, and drank it in. We stayed for ages, and chatted between sets about our lives, but during the sets, just enjoyed the music. There were a few people dancing, mostly with panache – a bit of jive, since this was before salsa got big.

Wellington then was only just getting a nightlife; these days Courteney Place is full of fabulous bars and restaurants. But then, part of the magic of the night was the fabulous serendipity. Expecting nothing, we ended up with the perfect evening.