Chance, magic, or mystery?

Jan 17 2005 David Williamson, Western Mail

IS A strange force at work when a Canadian farmer called MacDonald is randomly given a postcode containing the letter sequence E I E I O?

Martin Plimmer and Brian King have asked this question while collecting some of the world's most bewildering coincidences.

The pair, who met while studying journalism in Cardiff in 1971, have authored a bestselling book, Beyond Coincidence, which examines a phenomenon with the capacity to transform our view of reality.

Martin said, "It can change your life. After the event it makes you notice the world with fresh eyes."

As an example, he cited the story of Laura Buxton, aged 10.

At a party in Staffordshire she wrote her name and address on a luggage label attached to a helium balloon and released it into the sky. It drifted for 140 miles before landing in the garden of 10-year-old Laura Buxton of Pewsey, Wiltshire.

"It made them friends," he said. "I don't think they'll ever feel, 'My life is pointless'."

Noticing coincidences is, he believes, a healthy phenomenon.

He said, "The evidence is people who spy more coincidences are actually happier and lead more fulfilled lives. After a while they expect coincidences to happen to them."

Mr Plimmer has experienced coincidences which have had a profound impact on his life.

When looking for his first job in journalism he went to an interview with the editor of a newspaper in Yeovil.

He recalled, "At the end he said, 'I'm going to test your general knowledge. He flicked through this great big book and asked me 10 questions about religion.

"I wasn't brought up in a religious home and I'm ashamed to say I didn't know any of the answers. I went home very disappointed.

"My dad said, 'What did they ask you?' and he told me the answers."

His next job interview was in Buckinghamshire. It climaxed in precisely the same way, with the editor taking a book of general knowledge facts from a shelf and asking - apparently at random - the same 10 religious questions. He answered nine correctly.

"I could barely stop smiling when he asked the questions," he said. "It was such a strange, fun weird thing.

"That coincidence affected my life deeply. I might not have got the job or written the book about coincidences."

His study of these events has convinced him there is no such thing as a hidden law of a probable outcome with which to predict future events.

He said, "It's made me more sceptical. The scientific argument makes the most sense - it's chance.

"There's no mysterious law of the universe we haven't yet discovered."

This hasn't crushed his interest in the subject, but rather fuelled it.

He said, "The sceptical point of view is more interesting. The fact it's happened by chance makes it more wonderful. The idea we are fated and 'This was meant to happen!' is rather dull."

The excitement the two men's research has kindled has taken them by surprise.

"I thought it'll probably sell a few copies over four or five years but it just took off," he said.

The book won high profile fans including comedian David Baddiel who said it "resulted in many an overlong stay in the toilet".

They were dragged further into the limelight when they appeared on Richard & Judy and shared a sofa with Peter Andre on Terry & Gabby.

Many authors profess to resent the labours of publicity, but Martin has no such objections.

He said, "I've always found writing quite hard work but sitting promoting something is great."

The duo are now working on a project on the far less hairy subject of balding.