If I see your son I will say hello

September 1979 - My father ran Broadwaters sub post office in Kidderminster when a customer came in and ordered some US American travellers cheques for his holiday in a week or so. My father asked him where he was going and he said the West Coast US. Meanwhile I had been working in the US (east coast) for a year and that was coming to an end. I embarked on a two month tour where I intended to visit some 35 states on a circle tour by bus and hire car. My father told the customer that I had started a tour around the states. The customer said if I meet him I will say hello. My dad said he had no idea where I was until we get postcards from the different places that I had visited. So eventually I reached San Francisco and wanted to visit Alcatraz it was September and the ferry service was very busy and I had not booked, I was told to come back at 14:00 for the last ferry and see if there were any spaces available. I did get a ticket but the ferry was full so I made my way to the upper deck to find a seat. When I sat down I was amazed to hear a familiar black country accent coming from an elderly couple with their backs to me. I had not heard those familiar tones for so long so I asked them where they were from. They said Dudley; I said wow that's about 20 miles from where I come from. They then said we have recently moved to Kiderminster. I could not belive what I was hearing. Where in Kidderminster I asked? Broadwaters drive was the answer. My dad runs the post office there I exclaimed... I told your dad if I saw you I would say hello! He told me the rest of the story with American Travellers cheques etc. He got home two weeks before me and went into the post office to tell my dad who just did not believe him. It was only when I got back home when I confimed the meeting that dad believed the whole story. I had never met the couple before as they were new to the town. Ian Sadler