The Amazing 'Small Worlds' Story of Keith and Amina

A friend of mine, Keith Stevenson, who unfortunately passed away rather suddenly this year, had a most amazing event occur during one of his many travels around the globe.

Back in the 80’s, Keith and his wife Fern traveled to India with a visit to the Taj Mahal as one of their priorities. On the way to the Taj Mahal in a taxi, they were involved in a head on collision where Keith suffered serious injuries, including a number of broken bones. In the hospital, one of his caregivers was a 13 year old girl by the name of Amina. Keith was very taken by this young person who, in the absence of any proper medical training, provided him with much tender loving care.

As soon as Keith was stable enough to travel, he bid farewell to Amina and was off to Vancouver for local medical attention. Because he and Amina “clicked”, they continued to correspond for and developed a wonderful pen pal friendship that Keith was very fond of. After several years, they lost touch with each other.

Keith, being the kind of guy who would not accept defeat, went back to India with Fern some 13 years later to see the Taj Mahal. As they got near the Taj, Keith stopped at a street vendor's stand where, during their conversation, the woman at the stand asked Keith where he was from. Keith, of course, replied that he was from Canada. The woman said “I have a friend in Canada, his name is Keith Stevenson!”

Naturally, Keith responded by saying that he was Keith Stevenson and immediately the young woman began shaking and crying. Confused, Keith wondered what this was all about until the woman managed to compose herself enough to speak when she said “I am Amina”. Now they both were crying tears of joy.

So here Keith is, in amongst a billion Indian people, and somehow manages to meet up with the one person he had met and lost touch with some thirteen years earlier. Small world!

February, 17, 2003

Brad Scott
Associate Executive Officer
Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver
604-730-3006