Indirectly Linked Through a Movie

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understandinguncertainty.org was produced by the Winton programme for the public understanding of risk based in the Statistical Laboratory in the University of Cambridge. The aim was to help improve the way that uncertainty and risk are discussed in society, and show how probability and statistics can be both useful and entertaining.

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Just over 35 years ago when I was living in Killarney, Co Kerry, I had randomly arranged with a friend one evening to go to the movies. I can’t recall the name of the film but Edward Woodward was in the cast. On meeting up with my friend she introduced me to Michael, a young guy she’d recently become acquainted who was visiting Killarney. Michael was at a loose end that evening and was tagging along with us to watch the movie. At the start of the film I mentioned to Michael that my older brother had gone to Haileybury College at the same time Tim, the eldest son of Edward Woodward, had attended there. Imagine my surprise when Michael said he’d also gone to Haileybury and knew my brother but not as good friends because he was a couple of classes below him at the time. I verified this with my brother next day and he was astounded to hear we'd made such a connection! Given it was roughly 4 years since my brother had left Haileybury, what are the chances of my meeting this guy Michael in another country, through a friend of mine he'd only just become acquainted with, to then watching a film and finding a coincidental connection through my brother and Edward Woodward?!
Total votes: 899
Date submitted:Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:03:34 +0000Coincidence ID:3405