Along with string theory–and I’m not sure it isn’t coincidental (!) to it–there is the theory of coincidence that takes up much of Ham’s reflections. The excerpt below is very illustrative of the idea:
(Ham on coincidence)
If I acknowledge hunger then others must acknowledge it at the same moment. Much as I write or link or speak this, many of the words in sequence are also being spoken or written or imagined simultaneously, as the lateral patterns enlarge and branch and intersect. I shout. Some gent named Barnes or Flores shouts, too. Four of us, a Chilean, an Alaskan, Belgian, and Taiwanese, shout. We become an anonymous and coincidental cult of shouters.
Without understanding the basis for Ham’s belief that "others must acknowledge it at the same moment," I’ve pretty much just read by this particular plot. However, I’d come to this:
(Cervantes on Ham)
"What’s a name without a history? Names can be meaningless, mere labels.
And the thing here is, see, I’d just e-mailed someone mentioning the labels that names can become. Not the exact moment as reading this–a day or two prior; not the time this was first written–any time within the past few years. Coincidence?
Does this mean then I’m more open to Ham’s theories on a parallelity (I know, but say the word out loud and you’ll love it) of events? If I seek rationalization, or justification’s likely a better word, I might point to the theory of there being only 37 plots in life, or that most folks being used to a lunch being taken around mid-day are bound to be eating together. Too, the increased population betters the odds.
Or I can just go along with the flow. Certainly I’ve wondered what a particular someone was doing exactly at this moment but halfway around the world. This is common, especially when loved ones are away somewheres. And the fact that someone is doing exactly what I’m doing now is not all that odd–I’m at the laptop. I’ve been struck sometimes by the thought of Instant Messaging, or online classroom forums, which there must be some knack to skillfully communicate because I always find myself typing at the same time the other person is and we hold a most rude conversation by talking over each other. Yet I’ve held great conversations via e-mail and perhaps the reason is that it’s a hit or miss that you catch each other and if you do, you focus on a conversation. I’ve saved lotsa money this way when a phone call to Florida or New Hampshire or Arizona would’ve run up a bill.
But multiple happenings concurrently, unplanned but exact. An odd thought that will tickle my mind until I’ve sorted it out.
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology