The (futile) fight against fate

According to an online dictionary, 'fate' can be defined as follows:

Fate: the will or principle or determining cause by which things in general are believed to come to be as they are, or events to happen as they do.

Whether or not you believe in a predetermined future, yours or even in general, we all have our own little encounters with fate - haven't we? And I'm not referring to life-altering situations, I mean these seemingly irrelevant everyday moments which lead you to the inevitable conclusion that fate has at least one feature in common with Laika and Lassie: they're female dogs...

For example, you're at the railway station at 17h15, waiting for a friend whom you were supposed to meet at 17h. You have read 'The Cosmic Encyclopedia III : on general principles not making any sense at all', so you are aware of the fact that your friend will only show up once you turn the corner. Which tricks you into the following course of action: you actually decide to leave the railway station, almost thinking out loud "that's it, he will not be coming today, I am leaving", trying to induce the corollary to the aforementioned general rule. I tried it several times - which does not say anything about my friends, by the way - but it hasn't worked once. Because fate knows what you're up to, and it just doesn't work that way: either your friend shows up once you really decide to leave, or - as happened to me once - your detour is so big that he arrives in the meantime, doesn't find you and decides to leave. In order to avoid the latter situation, buy your friends a copy of the Encyclopedia for their birthday...

"So why didn't you text your friend then?" Like I said, you can't fight fate: the only moments you are aware of the fact that you forgot your phone, are the moments in which you could really use it.

So next day, you call your friend to fix a new date. He's busy at work however, and says he will call you back around 19h. Which is obviously when you usually have your shower. Not that day however, as you decide to wait for the phone and get into the shower afterwards. A similar pointless rule applies here: you can wait as long as you want, smelly and aware of that, your phone will not ring until you're all soaped up. My experience is that the IDF (imminent disaster factor) increases to a fatal level when you also decide to wash your hair, as this is usually when you run out of hot water during the shower.

Now, there was a reason why I started this blogpost like this: it seemed like the perfect introduction to a travel story I wanted to share with you. Unfortunately, I forgot my point. And we all know how it works when you're looking for something, right? I am not going to pretend. Fights with fate are futile...