Lovely Lunch Date in DC with Robert McCarthy!

No work on my book today (Joy Ride Journeys), but I did work on my first quilt of 2026 (a memory quilt) instead. I thought I could work on both projects, like three hours of writing time and three hours of sewing, but that's not how it turned out on this rainy Saturday in the Mid-Atlantic.

Yesterday, I had a wonderful experience going on a lovely lunch date in DC with Robert McCarthy, the son of one of my dear friends, MaryJean (and her husband Bob), from Long Island, New York. MJ and I met as teenagers in Ohio, running on a summer track team, and became fast friends from that very first practice. And even though she and her family live in New York, and we in Maryland, we both cherish our Ohio roots beyond measure. She's been a source of comfort on some tough days for me over three decades, along with keeping laughter in our chats (she could be a stand-up comedian—I am totally convinced of that!), and I deeply feel that we are connected souls throughout the mayhem, madness, and miracles in both our lives. We try to get together at least once, if not twice, a year.

While MJ, her mother, and Robert drove to Cleveland, Ohio, at Christmastime (the other family members coming from New York at different times), I got a call from Robert on his mom's phone, so I'd most likely answer it. At that point, I did not have Robert's contact info. Robert wondered if we were headed to Cleveland, too, and if there was a chance we could meet up. With MJ's big family and our plans for a quick weekend starting the day after Christmas, that kind of meet-up wasn't going to work this year. However, Robert said he would be in DC in January, and wondered if we could meet up then! The answer was a resounding, "YES!"

Robert, 30, took the train down from NYC to visit a few college friends who are working in DC, and to join in on a fun Karaoke night. Lucky for me, he was free for a couple of hours the next day to meet me for lunch. We chose a favorite family restaurant on the Eastern side of DC, where I could drive in and park easily. We were in sync, arriving within a few minutes of each other and hungry for lunch.

While devouring our fresh green salads and fried green tomatoes, we caught up on all kinds of subjects, including writing, authors, and books. Robert is wicked smart, compassionate, kind, thinks of others at all times, and is the perfect gentleman. He was raised right (great job, MJ and Bob, and three sisters to keep it all real!). I love that Robert is a voracious reader, devouring books more than most. He was about 10 years old when we visited him and his family over one summer, and there on the dining room table was the 544-page book The Help, by Kathryn Stockett. I assumed the book was MaryJean's. Nope, Robert happily announced he was reading it and was thoroughly enjoying it. I had read it as well (it is certainly a page-turner), and I was very impressed that Robert was devouring and savoring it just as I had earlier that year, but remember, he was 10 at that time, reading a whopper of a book, in pages and content!

I love how Robert lives and breathes learning from any environment he is connected to, including his higher education and any extracurricular activities that advance his knowledge of the world and its people. He graduated from the University of Virginia, the same college both his parents and eldest sister went to, and then graduated from New York University Law School. He passed the New York bar with flying colors and is currently a Legal Fellow at the Ford Foundation based in New York, NY. This kid is going places...I'm convinced!

As our conversation deepened about writing. I suggested starting with at least 10-15 minutes daily. He works long hours, indeed, but perhaps there is time to jot a few things in a journal or on his phone if that is more convenient for getting those thoughts out of his head. He's already had a few articles published, so I know he is on his way to writing whatever he desires, with the potential for great readership and outcomes, if he so desires.

Then, the serendipity seeped into our conversation. Almost simultaneously, Robert asked me if I knew the poet and author Padraig O'Tuama, and I asked him if he knew what a Pantoum was, since I had just read a Substack article by Padraig about this powerful way to write a Pantoum poem. It may be a rabbit hole to try to write this type of poem, but I can certainly be interested in it. I actually pulled out my phone to show Robert the post I'd read about him (Padraig) on another writer's forum, along with the comments I'd made earlier in the week.

We stopped talking.

We were stunned.

We sat back in our respective booth seats, silent for several seconds.

Hmmm.

There are 8 billion people in the world, and among them are millions of authors. How did we both mention the same author at virtually the same time?

I guess it's one of those things. Stuff happens, even if it's uncanny.

Apparently, this author made a quick impact on both of us (Robert shared that he has one of his books and sent me the photo of it via text - now that we have each other's contact info for more communication).

So maybe it was just a coincidence…or maybe it was one of those quiet moments when the universe leans in and nods. All this reminds me why I love conversations, books, and the unexpected connections that sneak up on us when we’re paying attention. I drove home smiling, thankful for a rainy day, a lovely lunch with Robert, and a bit o' literary serendipity that felt truly like a small gift from the universe. Sunshine was definitely manufactured on this DC afternoon.