Numerology

No, I'm not becoming a numerologist, but here's a neat story about Dreher's brother-in-law.

A few months ago, my sister Ruthie ran a race in Baton Rouge. The number she was assigned was 709. Weeks later, Mike mailed home for her scrapbook the number he'd been assigned in a race he competed in in Iraq. It too was 709.

What an incredible coincidence, my sister thought. "That means he's going to come home on July 9," said my mother.

Which was rather unlikely, given that Mike and his men weren't scheduled to leave Iraq till August. Still, my mother was sure of it. She believed that was a sign.

Last week, Ruthie got a phone call from Mike. His unit, which had already transferred to Kuwait, had departed unexpectedly early. He was phoning from Maine. He was back in the United States, safe.

Of course, it was July 9.

Back, mind you, with a Broze Star.