Weird!
Disclaimer: This post has absolutely nothing to do with Japan, living in Japan, or what happens in Japan. It is simply an odd coincidence in life that I couldn’t help recording.
Just a few days ago I started reading Augusten Burroughs book, Possible Side Effects. The book is just a collection of essays from his life (similar style to David Sedaris) and most of them point out the funny and strange aspects of ordinary life.
Yesterday, while waiting for the bus, I read the essay titled, “Killing John Updike.” In this essay he talks about a friend who urged him to buy first editions of John Updike’s books as a sort of investment, because they would be worth quite a bit when he died. Burroughs was initially skeptical of the idea, but then proceeded to get on board. He bought a handful of first editions, convinced that they would be worth at least double once Updike died. But then, as he bought even more of them, he was convinced that somehow the spirit with which he was buying the books would surely kill John Updike and that the next morning he would wake up and it would be the first bit of news scrolling along the ticker.
Obviously, the authors actions had no real impact. Burroughs’ book was published in 2006 and Updike remained alive and well. But, imagine my surprise, when the day after I read his essay, I opened up my Google news page, and the very first bit of news listed was that John Updike, at age 76, had passed away.
So, I am left to wonder if my reading the essay about Burroughs buying the first editions with the hopes that they would be worth more money when John Updike died had any effect. Or if this is just a crazy, crazy coincidence.
Also, I wonder if the price will really go up on those first editions and whether Augusten Burroughs has listed them on ebay yet.