In November 2011, my writing group (her name is Jenifer) and I went to Marathon, Texas, for a few days. We went to write – we ARE a writing group! – and maybe drink some wine. One day, we took a break from that rigorous schedule and headed over to Alpine for the afternoon. Naturally, while we were in Alpine, we found a bar. A really nice one, called the Saddle Club. We sat outside on their patio, and (between margaritas) I took a picture of a couple of chairs that had been made into a bench:

And then, just last week, my friend (her name is Martha) came out from Washington DC and we spent a few days in Alpine. The first morning we were there, I took my camera and walked down the alley taking pictures, which probably doesn’t surprise any of you. I wasn’t that familiar with the alleys in Alpine, and was never sure what businesses I was walking behind. And then this happened: I saw those exact chairs from the other trip, only this time they were broken, abandoned in the alley:

My pal Ehpem, in relation to something else on this latest trip to West Texas, said, “Melinda owns synchronicity.” (See this for further support of Ehpem’s claim; I am beginning to agree.)

Alpine, Texas

photographed 11.12.11 and 1.18.13