The New Carpet

I joined the Army as a 16 year old in 1972 along with 61 other young lads from all over the country. We were based in Deepcut, Camberley, Surrey for 18 months during which we carried out basic military training, finishing with trade training and being posted all over the world to various units. My specialisation was as a clerk. Of the 62 who joined, just 26 remained after training, the rest having decided to leave for various reasons. I moved to Wiltshire and one of my friends went to join the Commando Logistic Brigade. In 1986 I was posted to Hereford and I knew my friend had since also moved there. I moved to Hereford in the knowledge that I had accumulated over 100 days leave as I'd served in the Middle East with just 3 weeks off during my 3 year tour. Whilst shopping in Hereford for a piece of carpet to put in front of the fire at my new home, who would I meet in the street but the same friend I'd said goodbye to some 12 years before. He invited me round that very evening to meet his family and catch up on our years apart. He asked me to take my shoes off as he'd just had a new carpet laid that very day. I commented that I liked the shade and indeed it looked similar to the carpet I'd bought myself earlier that day for my own fireplace. To cut a long evening short, when I got home I flipped over the new carpet and my friend's name was on the reverse. My piece of carpet to be used as a fireside mat was the very same cut -out of my friend's whole living room carpet fitted only hours before. I've only met him once since. What a coincidence!!