Rooms...

The very first time I recall seeing the number 329 was my freshman year in college. I went to Clark University in Worcester, MA and lived in room #329 in Wright Hall. It was also the date I started dating my girlfriend at the time. That didn't turn out so well. She married one of my best friends. But it all worked out.

The following year, I started to take notice of the number 329 popping up in my life in random spots. Because the first time I ever noticed this number was the room number I was living in, I started to look for room #329 wherever I went.

Since staying in room #329 in my freshman year, I have never seen another room #329. I've stayed in other dorms on the third floor, I have stayed in hotels, motels, B&B's, hostels, you name it. I have even made an effort to search other floors looking for room #329. Still nothing. When I was a senior in college, I stayed in room 302 or something like that. The rooms on that floor went from #301 to #340, but there was not a room #329. It was skipped. Every other number from 301 to 340 was there, except 329.

Tonight, I visited a friend who lives in an apartment building in a converted factory that overlooks the Hudson River. She lives on the third floor.

There wasn't an apartment #329. I checked.