Joe and Nelly sit in a cozy café, sipping their drinks as the warm glow of the setting sun casts long shadows across the table. The topic of conversation drifts to Serendipity (2001), the romantic comedy starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale.
Joe: “You ever see Serendipity?”
Nelly: “Yeah, a long time ago. You mean the one where fate decides everything?”
Joe: “Exactly. The idea that if something’s meant to be, the universe will find a way to bring you back to it. You think that’s real, or just a Hollywood fantasy?”
Nelly: “I want to believe it’s real. The whole idea of destiny, soulmates, signs—it’s romantic. But I think in real life, people miss their chances all the time.”
Joe: “True. But what if the point isn’t that fate does all the work? Maybe it just nudges you, and you have to meet it halfway. Like in the movie, Cusack’s character doesn’t just sit around waiting—he goes after her.”
Nelly: “Yeah, but she writes her name in a book and sells it, trusting that if it’s meant to be, he’ll find it. That’s crazy. What if some random guy in Idaho bought it instead?”
Joe: “Then I guess she was meant to be with a farmer in Idaho.” (laughs)
Nelly: “So you believe in serendipity?”
Joe: “I believe in moments of serendipity, yeah. Like how the right song plays when you need it, or how you meet someone at exactly the right time. But you gotta act on it. If Cusack hadn’t gone looking, it would’ve been just another ‘what if.’”
Nelly: “So you think it’s about a mix of fate and action?”
Joe: “Yeah. The universe lays out possibilities, but you still gotta show up and roll the dice.”
Nelly stirs her coffee, thinking.
Nelly: “I guess if something matters enough, you don’t leave it up to fate completely.”
Joe: “Exactly. If you want something, don’t just wait for a sign—be the sign.”
They clink their mugs together, silently acknowledging that some things in life are worth chasing.