The Coincidences of Capulet Books
If Capulet Books had a history textbook, this would be the first chapter.
Marissa and I met during the fall semester of 2019 in a Medieval Illuminated Manuscripts class. However, it took a series of coincidences and one trip to Mexico City to really call what we have a friendship.
As mentioned, we met in an extremely niche Art History class - one of the boring ones. One fateful day, Marissa misguidedly asked me for help in French. I don’t even remember how she knew I was taking French, but I obviously agreed, probably because I needed the ego boost from someone thinking I could tell them anything about the French language.
I hope you passed that test, Marissa.
While I somehow stumbled through helping Marissa with her French, we discovered that we had both enrolled in a study abroad program that would take place over winter break. It would be in Mexico City studying Pre-Columbian Art. Another discovery was that we were both planning on staying past the course’s end-date to spend additional time exploring. Marissa had already found somewhere to stay, and graciously invited me, this person she hardly knew, to join her.
Arrangements were made, but other than the occasional “have you written your paper yet?” and “when is that thing due?,” we never talked outside of class.
And then, finally -
We were in Mexico! Seeing cool things! We hung out occasionally during the course of the program, but also not really. Other than one drunk selfie I have of us from New Year’s Eve, I don’t know if we ever did that much together. We had naturally found separate friend groups within the program. Which is fine. We’re getting there.
The program finished and we had no choice but to spend time together - as we were sleeping in the same apartment. It turned out that we actually worked really well as travel companions and had enough in common to get along. We made bland, ugly pasta in the cutest apartment near the Zocalo. We shopped at markets and went to every art museum we could. We both droned on about how we wished we could go home because, honestly, we were exhausted.
Once we came home, we just kept inviting the other person to do things or to meet up at campus. We became gym buddies and saw each other every day at 7am. We just kind of kept being around each other. Though it was early 2020, so we stopped being physically around each other for quite a while.
We hold 24 hour readathons and go to the park as often as possible. We meet up on the weekends or during the week. We even worked together for a few months and saw each other every single day. Now, we even have a business together.
What a coincidence that Marissa and I went to the same university, had the same major, both took French, were both enrolled in a study abroad program, were both planning extended trips in Mexico City, and were both okay with splitting an AirBnB with a complete stranger.
I guess all friendships are a series of coincidences. You go to the same high school or you know the same people. But, did you coincidentally start a romance bookstore with your friend too?
Some other coincidences:
We went to the same person for our manicures.
We possibly took the same Contemporary Art class - still unclear.
Marissa and my partner both went to the last Warped Tour in history.
We went to the same concert in 2010. Marissa was 16, I was 14. (NeverShoutNever, look it up)
We hope that you coincidentally end up here and enjoy the culmination of all of our coincidences.