Sideswipe: June 26: Site unseen

Strange coincidences

"A few years ago, my wife and I trekked up to the top of the Acropolis in Athens and stood in a crowd of thousands to admire the view," writes Peter Reed of Browns Bay. "It was packed out and very, very hot. We couldn't hear a word of English being spoken, but many foreign languages around us. Then I heard an English-speaking voice behind me, and turning to the couple, I said 'Well, you don't hear much English up here'. They laughed and then asked me where we were from. 'New Zealand' says I. 'Which part?' they asked. 'Auckland,' I reply. 'Whereabouts?' 'Browns Bay,' says I. 'Oh,' they said, 'we are from Kumeu!' After much laughter, it also turned out that we knew a number of people in common! So, we had travelled 22,000km to meet someone from about 22km away. Small world."

Do-gooders

"I recently sat next to a guy on a plane who picked up a fallen book from the passenger next to him who fell asleep. He not only picked it up but marked the page and then held it in his hands until she woke up because there was nowhere to place it. Then I found out he was Canadian and it all made sense."

Fresh facts

1. At the end of 2018, for the first time in human history, the number of people over the age of 65 surpassed the number of people under 5.

2. More than 20,000 people have signed a petition calling for Netflix to cancel the TV series Good Omens due to its depiction of Biblical figures such as God and the devil. Good Omens isn't made by Netflix, it's made by Amazon and the BBC.

3. The first draft of Buffy the Vampire Slayer was called "Martha the Immortal Waitress". (Via @qikipedia)

Remuera Cinderella

A reader writes: "A young woman knocked on our door in Dell Ave, Remuera, at 4.30 Saturday morning. We didn't wake (but the neighbours did) and she left as she had the wrong address. Unfortunately she left her black size six Pulp sandal behind." Contact Sideswipe if it is your shoe, for discreet return. Prince myth not included.