I have an unbelievable story, so insane I can only post it here because I am afraid people on Facebook will roll their eyes and think I am either lying or crazy or worse, not really care…I mean, it’s not something major, but it’s a nutty coincidence or ESP moment I had that’s blowing my mind.
From around 1982-1992 or so, I worked with a woman named Ellen Hutton I really liked—we were both paralegals who didn’t fit the stereotype—we loved rock music and getting wasted and we were total foodies. In other words, we were wild women in a very conservative atmosphere.
Back then, I would occasionally bring the kids to the office when they were little, and four year old Eric had quite the crush on Ellen, who was very pretty. He called her “Madonna” because even at age four, Eric was obsessed with both music and beautiful women. At the time, Ellen wore her hair curly with a headband just like Madonna.
One Sunday morning, I met Ellen for brunch at Marathon Grill at 19th and Spruce and took Eric with me because he begged me to let him tag along and have breakfast with “Madonna.”
He sat there silently and blushed all googly eyed the entire time.
I haven’t thought about that episode in thirty-five years. I even wrote a hundred page speech for Eric’s wedding that included similar stories like his crush on his large breasted babysitter but forgot about the Ellen/Madonna story.
Until today.
Let me preface this story by letting you know that Ellen and I are friends on Facebook but we don’t interact and she rarely posts—with my 3700 friends she’s never in my timeline anyway—and we lost touch thirty years ago when she took another job, but I do know she’s married and lives in downtown Philly. In looking at her posts, she is definitely still cool.
But I digress.
So here’s what happened.
This morning I woke up with Eric’s new song in my head. It’s one of the world’s poorest kept secrets that Eric has a new record coming out this year and I know I’m his mother, but this music is mind blowing and I think it’s going to be huge. I can’t get the music out of my head, it’s very catchy, with amazing lyrics.
So yeah, I woke up singing the first single, which is coming out in two weeks. And then I got a little thrill realizing our local college radio station will play it. The last time Eric had a single in regular rotation on the radio a few years ago, Gary and I heard from all kinds of people from our past who heard it, too, everyone from former co-workers to our former pot dealer. It was a lot of fun.
So that’s when out of nowhere as I am getting out of bed, the Ellen/Madonna story popped into my head because out of all my former coworkers in fifty years of working, she was a favorite and one of the few I even remember and I know it’s weird and probably obnoxious but I hoped she would hear Eric’s song. I would love to meet up with her again and have dinner.
Anyway, I went downstairs, poured myself a cup of coffee, and picked up my phone. As I took my first sip, I scrolled down my Facebook timeline and saw a post which I read right away based just on the photo but when I saw who posted it and read the words I almost died.
In fact, I read it like eight times, in total disbelief. How I didn’t spit out my coffee, I have no idea.
So yeah, that’s my story for today. Out of nowhere—Ellen Hutton and Madonna twice in one day. I’m still shocked and shaking my head. The coincidence of waking up thinking about them and seeing Ellen’s post today is NUTZ.
Oprah said when stuff like that happens, it’s God letting you know he exists. Well then God, if you’re listening, please have Donald Trump arrested today and let him die in jail tomorrow.
Also, I would appreciate it if Eric’s new record would soar to number one on the Billboard charts though I think he’s pretty solid to get there regardless, his record is that brilliant.
You heard it here first.
