Hi there ONTHEBEACH...

Naw, nothing like that ol' mate, I just thought it was one of those unanswerable coincidences that can happen from time to time. I'm far too much of a pragmatists to allow myself to get caught up in all that esoteric stuff, to allow myself to get sidetracked by something like this ?

While it is true I did find the whole event somewhat unsettling, there are far greater unexplainable events that have happened right down through history, for some insignificant fortuity, of this kind to make any kind of impression on me at least.

I might've mentioned a bloke I once locked up in the early '70's, by the name of Archie Beattie McCAFFERTY, who I've characterised as probably the most dangerous individual I've ever dealt with, who's been described by many others, as utterly evil in the true sense of the word ? Now he would bear a much closer examination as far as some supernatural event was concerned I reckon ? Much has been written about Archie, but a 'supernatural' entity or something similar, I don't think so, just a very dangerous homicidal maniac, in my humble opinion.

Hi there ARMCHAIR CRITIC & PAUL1405...

Thanks both of you for your kind and thoughtful observations and remarks, I really do appreciate them. I called my dream 'unsettling' which probably wasn't an especially correct term, as I'm a very pragmatic individual, and generally speaking, anything that appears esoteric or supernatural, is always dismissed out of hand.

I recall my maternal Grandfather mentioning something weird that happened on the Somme, when an entire platoon of Aussie troops, were bombed and gassed out of existence, beyond the wire in 'nomansland'. So much so the Company Commander didn't even bother to dispatch a Section to seek out survivors, as their remains could been seen from the nearest Allied trench.

As the Aussies withdrew a hundred yards or so, and settled into their new trench network, the missing platoon members came along the trench and rejoined the others, who'd just withdrawn from the front ? None of them even bore a scratch, let alone become a casualty ? The world has mysteries abounding, for those who wish to embellish upon them, and those who just like to listen to them ?

Personally, I believe I've both boots securely planted upon terra firma and it would take a great deal of convincing otherwise I should think. Mind you I don't claim to have any answers, in fact as you know Paul I'm not particularly well educated, in fact I came from the school of hard knocks like many of my generation did, in the early 1940's to mid 1950'. But pragmatism is my guideline.

Please convey my profound thanks to your beautiful partner T, PAUL1405. I really do thank her for offering to take the time to interpret my dream. However, it might be best if she simply lets it go, thus allowing me to remain in a state of ignorant oblivion ? Would you kindly do that for me please Paul ? For which I shall thank you in advance if I may.

Thank you gentlemen for your thoughtful views and observations, I really appreciate them.

I often tell religious people that reality is so much more interesting than their mystical explanations. This is one instance where I think the opposite is true.

I had a dream recently that I friended an old friend from primary school on Facebook. When I woke that very morning, I was blown away to see a friend request from them. In Sydney, my mother use to catch the train to work every morning, passing the Granville station on the way. On 18 January 1977, she was running late and missed it by seconds.

There’s a very rational and boring explanation for all this: confirmation bias. We forget all those times that we dreamt about an old friend and didn’t receive a Facebook friend request from them the next morning, just as we forget all those times where we missed the morning train and it didn’t derail.

With so much going on in our lives, and so many billions of people on the planet, what would actually be strange is if co-incidences like these never happened.

This is not uncommon with close family members and persons who you passionately pray for removed by distance. I have heard and experienced for myself many such experiences.

A J PHILIPS...

Your Mother was a very fortunate woman indeed, to evade, purely by happenstance, that awful train disaster at Granville Station. When an incoming train derailed and smashed into the concrete overhead bridge bringing it down, on top of one of the carriages, killing and injuring many people.

There were several hero's, among the firefighters, police and Ambo's on the day, who spent many very dangerous hours trying vainly to extricate trapped and injured people, who surely would've perished without their bravery. I'm very glad to hear that your Mother was running late for her train, on the morning of the 18 January 1977.

On this occasion, and on this precise topic, I tend to agree with you when it comes to occurrences and events similar to this, that are currently under discussion. It simply comes down to, pure coincidence, fate and serendipity - and nothing more, in my opinion.

o sung wu,

I was a little tongue in cheek as you rightly understood. :)

Having seen numerous men, too many for coincidence and an increasing number of older women (which is a concerning change for all seniors) treated rather shabbily by Government and in health delivery too, seniors really need trustworthy souls in their life and other men especially, to show interest. They are continually being told that they are in the way. They should die ASAP and hand over their assets apparently.

That doesn't refer to the selfish, egocentric types who have always demanded sympathy and likely have led privileged, comfortable lives and still do.

Anyhow, don't let anything get to you. Nil carborundum and so on. I meant it about just rocking out and getting involved.

You raised the very interesting matter of how deeply we are affected by early loves that they can become haunting memories. It isn't simply the sadness of lost youth.

Anyway, travel well in life and know that other men do care.