I friended two old friends on Facebook the other day. One was from my first high school, he’s one of the people responsible for my introduction to punk, and I’m pretty sure 100% responsible for my introduction to dub reggae. The other was from my second high school, miles away, and was part of a relatively small circle of “alternative” friends in a school full of normals. They both accepted on the same day. They don’t know each other, I’m pretty sure.

However, their facebook “cover photos” generated a sublime spark of coincidence:

Then tonight, when I got into the bath, and reached to pick up Sean Brijbasi’s One Note Symphonies (I believe I blogged about this earlier this month), the Grateful Dead song Ramble On Rose was in my head, and in my head the chorus was playing, “Did you say your name was Ramblin’ Rose?” Just as it reached that point, I opened the book to the dogeared placeholder from the other night, and it was a new chapter: “Among the ruins, a trembling rose” were the only words on the page.