A life-saving coincidence

I was a pilot in the Indian Air Force. During training we flew basic aircraft and one of them was the American Texan. I flew around 75 hours on this aircraft before qualifying on fighters. I was posted to Bangalore after a couple of years on a ground duty job. At the Air Force Base there was a Harvard 2B aircraft which pilots flew to keep up their hours. Harvard is very similar to the Texan and I had no problem flying it since the cockpit configuration was almost identical. The flying characteristics too were the same.After a dual check by one of the more experienced pilots I was cleared to go solo. The next day I was changing into flying overalls in the crew room. Two pilots who had just finished flying the Harvard were changing back to their normal clothes and were discussing the Harvard aircraft.One of them said, "Man,this Harvard is like the Lambretta scooter. It has a reserve setting in the fuel tank." The other one replied." So you have tilt the aircraft to start it, eh ? Ha, Ha ! ". ( Lambretta scooter had this peculiarity where you had to tilt the scooter to one side to let the fuel flow into the carburettor.) I quietly laughed at the joke and continued with my dressing up. I had to fly around 45 minutes and planned a triangular cross country sortie. After completing the sortie I noticed that I had another ten minutes to go. I asked the flying control if I can be permitted to do aerobatics over the airfield. I was given the go ahead. I did loops, rolls, barrel rolls and what have you for a good ten minutes. As a grand finale I asked the flying control if I could do a low run over the airfield. I was given permission to do so. I flew quite a distance from the airfield and came down and down to just touching the tree tops. It was thrilling. As I pulled up from the run the engine cut ! I was hardly 200 feet above the ground and was totally taken by surprise. The propeller was winding down fast.I could not possibly turn back since I was too low. The area below was built up with no open space. I had no choice except to put her down straight ahead and hope for the best ! In a fraction of a second I remembered what the two pilots were joking in the crew room. I looked down at the fuel control cock and saw the marking" Reserve". I immediately selected reserve. The propeller which was winding down fast suddenly whirred back to life. I climbed to circuit height and landed safely. Ever since this incident I have thinking and asking myself the following questions. 1. What if I had chosen some other day to fly this aircraft ? 2. What if I had not heard the two pilots discussing in the crew room ? 3. What if I had arrived in the crew room late when both the pilots had left ? I am convinced that coincidences are the acts of god or some super natural force in action. I was destined to live. To quote Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam," The moving writes, And having writ moves on....." Best Regards, Wg.Cdr.H.R.S. ( Retd )