What are the Chances?!

Canadian money - Canadian bills - are all different colors, so we don't have to look carefully at what's written on the paper. Instead, we quickly glance at the color.














If it's blue, it's $5; if it's purple, it's $10; if it's green, it's a $20... and so on... Which may be why I never pay attention to the pictures on the bills. (I really couldn't tell you what illustrations or portraits decorate any of them...)














So... a few days ago, I was at a party with former teaching colleagues, chatting with a young man whom I'll call the Science Teacher. I've known him for years, in a casual way, and I was asking him about his new home.

Another colleague, whom I'll refer to as the Storyteller, came over and joined us.

Did you know that this young man's ON the five-dollar bill? the Storyteller asked, and he began to pull out his wallet...

(ON the bill? What is he talking about?)

Thinking this was a joke, I smiled, wondering where all this was heading.

Good, I have a five, the Storyteller said, and pulled it out.














Look at the hockey player over here, he said, pointing to a picture of a group of children playing hockey. Did you know that this is HIM? (indicating the Science Teacher).

Really? I asked, still thinking this was a joke. I never thought of illustrations on bills, like this hockey scene, being real people - except for the former prime ministers on the other side of the bills.

The Science Teacher nodded with a smile.

That's YOU?! How did your picture end up on the bill? I asked.

My mother sent it in - and it was chosen, he replied matter-of-factly.

(So that's how it's done?! It's a contest? People send in pictures... and one is chosen?!)

So (to my amazement), I discovered - not only that there is a hockey scene on the five-dollar bill (I had never noticed it before!) - but that I know the person who is on it!!

What are the chances?!