I think the whole “six degrees of separation” theory is based on faulty science, but has become so ingrained in the American Zeitgeist that anyone daring to disbelieve it is at best considered an idiot and at worst labeled a heretic.
That being said, I recently had a series of “small world” experiences.
I decided to join the social netorking site MySpace, in part to promote our book, and in part to see what all the hoo ha was about. Not knowing quite how to build a circle of friends, which you need to survive on a social networking site, I’m told, I did a search for gay men in Los Angeles that were around my own age. I looked at their profiles one by one and those that seemed interesting I sent friend’s requests to. After the initial contact, I corresponded with very few of them. So much for social networking.
One, Peter, had been in my friend’s list for quite some time when he posted a bulletin regarding a blog in which he had linked a video discussing a conspiracy about possible government involvement in 9/11. In his blog, he was skeptical but intrigued by the notion. I sent him an email with my thoughts on the matter – there was a loud rumor that Roosevelt knew ahead of time that the Japanese were headed for Pearl Harbor but did nothing so he could have an excuse to enter World War Two. If we can believe that, why couldn’t we believe that at least someone in the government may have known about the imminent attack and not only did nothing but prevented others from doing anything in order to start, say, a war over oil – and he wrote back.
We started a delightful correspondence having little to do with politics. We talked about pop culture, travel, our lives thus far. And we made each other giggle. At least he made me giggle.
Shortly before this, my writing partner Steve and I went to a marketing seminar where we met (among other people) a movie director named Marc Rosenbush, who had made an independent movie called Zen Noir. I talked with him, picking his brain about movie making. (I’m picking the brain of anyone I can about movie making these days.) When he put up a MySpace page for his movie, added that to my friends.
One of the Zen Noir page’s friends was a strange fellow called The Alien. He was so weird, surreal and wonderful, I had to have him join me and invited him to be my friend.
Back to Peter. One afternoon, feeling I knew him well enough, now, to ask personal questions (we still hadn’t really met, mind you) I asked him if he had a boyfriend. He said he did, and that his boyfriend was one of my friends, The Alien, whose real name was Jon Harris and who was one of the actors in Zen Noir.
Well. I’m not done, yet.
Peter, Jon and I decided we should actually meet at some point, so I joined them for lunch at a charming little café in West Hollywood. During lunch our conversation was so easy and our sense of conection so strong, we all decided that we must have known each other through several incarnations. We were talking 
about our travels and lives and Jon told a story about when he lived in Seattle. He directed a play there and in it was this wonderful actress who made him laugh. Her name was Therese Diekhans. Well, I dropped my teeth (which is fairly amazing considering they’re all originals). I went to college with a wonderful actress named Therese Diekhans! We were both founding members of the original Interplayers Ensemble in Spokane, Washington. (Really. I still have letterhead.) Jon went outside for a moment and when he came back, he handed me his cell phone and said, “It’s for you.” It was Therese! We chatted briefly, caught up and have kept in touch since.
I now have two wonderful new friends who came at me from entirely different directions and have been reacquainted with an old friend who I cherish!
Small world.
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Geoff Hoff is co-author of the best selling satirical novel Weeping Willow: Welcome to River Bend
Tags: My Life, Observation, Surreal Reality, theatre
How come she still looks great and we’ve turned into lumpy middle aged men? Life is not fair.
I started out lumpy, so there was never much hope.
Some men are born lumpy, others have lumpiness thrust upon them.
From one lump to another, then, celebrate all things lumpy.
[...] connection that is centuries old. I’ve written about him before, in my trifle on the theory of six degrees of separation. I know him to be an actor, it’s how he makes his living, and, although he hasn’t hit as big [...]
Hey, Geoff!
I’ve been out of touch for a while, then my computer died on me and now I have to get everyone’s email again! Luckily I found this website of yours, so write me at my e-mail so I have your email, ok!?tell my friends Jon and everyone else you can think of too. Thanks, you are a doll.
Oh, and about looking great – that’s what touch ups are for!
Therese