Abbott & Shields Streets: Crossroads of the Universe?
Scientists have yet to back me up on this, but I think there is ample anecdotal evidence that the intersection of Abbott St. and Shields St. in Cairns is, in fact, that crossroads of the universe.
Item: as I was walking along Shields last night, I took notice of a couple that seemed quite familiar to me, and as the female noticed my open-mouth stare and brought them up short, I got confirmation. I had spied Wade and Stacey, he my college floormate from five years ago, she his new wife of one year.
Item: as the three of us stood on a street 12,000 miles from where we’d last seen each other, another face approached from the opposite direction. Here was Benjamin, with whom I’d shared a room in Sydney weeks ago, our paths crossing again at nearly the precise moment I’d met the other two.
Item: just steps from what I shall now call The Crossroads, I came to City Place, where a singer was performing. Under a bandshell criss-crossed with faux evergreen, red bows, and twinkling lights, he belted out “Chicago” Sinatra-style to an audience gathered in the warm Cairns night.
I know I’m not technically from Chicago, but I did spend a ton of time there this year. Now if I can only find the wormhole that will allow me to get Giordano’s…