[Setting]

Elliot is sitting at a bus stop on a sunny afternoon. There’s no rain today, but the occasional gust of wind rustles through the nearby trees. He’s wearing sunglasses and looking at his phone, clearly trying to ignore the world around him—perhaps hoping it’ll keep him from yet another unexpected encounter. His backpack is next to him, and he’s anxiously checking the bus schedule on his screen.

The god of coincidence appears seemingly out of nowhere, standing at the end of the bus stop shelter with an unmistakable grin. They’re dressed in a bright yellow jacket that looks suspiciously like something borrowed from a lost-and-found box at a seaside resort.

God of Coincidence (strolling over to Elliot, waving cheerfully): “Elliot! Lovely day for a coin flip, wouldn’t you say?”

Elliot (without looking up from his phone, sighing deeply): “Oh no. Not you again. And no, I really wouldn’t say that.”

God of Coincidence (sitting down beside Elliot, ignoring his protest): “Ah, but that’s the beauty of it. Today isn’t just any day. Today, you get to make a grand decision—a decision that will change everything. Or nothing. Coincidentally, I brought a coin.”

The god produces an old, tarnished coin from their pocket, holding it up between their fingers, letting the sun catch it just right.

Elliot (taking off his sunglasses, giving the god an exhausted look): “Look, I’m just trying to catch the bus, okay? I don’t need any of your cosmic nonsense today.”

God of Coincidence (smiling wider, nudging Elliot with an elbow): “But that’s where you’re mistaken. Every day could use a little nonsense—cosmic or otherwise. Now, heads or tails?”

Elliot (rolling his eyes): “I’m not playing this game.”

God of Coincidence (leaning in, whispering conspiratorially): “Come now, Elliot. It’s not just a game. It’s a choice. A life-altering one. Or maybe just a small, insignificant one. But isn’t that worth flipping for?”

Elliot groans, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a dollar bill, waving it at the god.

Elliot: “I’ve got cash. I don’t need coins. Can we just pretend I picked tails and get on with whatever ridiculous story you’re about to tell?”

God of Coincidence (chuckling, clearly delighted): “Oh, but that’s no fun at all! Besides, this particular coin has a rather storied history, you know.”

[Narrative Sprawl Begins]

The god takes the coin and flips it high into the air, watching it spin in the sunlight.

Stolen story; please report.

God of Coincidence: “You see, this coin was first minted decades ago, during a particularly odd series of events involving a runaway goat—yes, the same stubborn goat you’ve heard about before. But more importantly, this coin has a way of making decisions that aren’t quite as random as they seem.”

Elliot (sighing, already regretting his curiosity): “The goat again? How is it always the same goat? Is it, like, eternal or something?”

God of Coincidence (grinning): “Oh, no, no. Just a very influential goat. So, this coin—imagine it being tossed into the air by an overzealous farmer, who, naturally, was trying to decide whether or not to sell that very goat. Heads, the goat stays. Tails, it goes. As fate—or coincidence—would have it, the coin landed on its edge, balancing perfectly on a fence post, causing the farmer to reconsider the whole concept of decision-making altogether.”

Elliot (dryly): “So let me guess, he kept the goat, and that’s why it’s still showing up in all of your ridiculous stories?”

God of Coincidence (pretending to look hurt): “Ridiculous? My dear Elliot, I prefer the term mystical.” (pauses, then nods) “But yes, he did keep the goat. And wouldn’t you know it, that goat’s presence led to a rather unexpected encounter involving a delivery van, a spilled box of pineapples, and a woman with a particularly red umbrella.”

Elliot (massaging his temples, muttering): “The red umbrella again. I should have known.”

God of Coincidence (enthusiastically): “Indeed! You see, the delivery van swerved to avoid hitting the goat, causing the pineapples to tumble out and roll down the street. And one of those pineapples found its way into the hands of the woman with the red umbrella. She took it as a sign—you know, a cosmic sort of sign—and decided to change her entire life right then and there. Quit her job, moved to a new city, opened a small shop that, coincidentally, specialized in selling umbrellas of every color.”

Elliot (raising an eyebrow): “Why pineapples? And why is everything always connected to umbrellas with you?”

God of Coincidence (looking thoughtful, as if considering the question for the first time): “Umbrellas are fascinating, aren’t they? They’re there to shield us from things beyond our control—like the rain, or an unexpected pineapple. They represent protection, shelter... a sense of randomness. Much like myself.”

Elliot (giving a skeptical look): “Right. So, what happened to the coin?”

God of Coincidence (grinning): “Oh, the coin? It was lost. Rolled off the fence, down into a well, and wasn’t seen for decades—until, quite by chance, a young boy who was fishing for his missing shoe pulled it out. And wouldn’t you know it, that boy grew up to become a parrot enthusiast. He bought pet insurance from a well-dressed man, and his parrot… well, you know the rest of that story.”

Elliot (eyes narrowing, shaking his head): “I really wish I didn’t.”

The coin, still spinning in the air, finally lands—bouncing off the bus stop bench and coming to rest tails up on the ground between them. The god picks it up, looking at Elliot with a satisfied smile.

God of Coincidence (handing the coin to Elliot): “Tails! Congratulations, Elliot, you’ve just chosen… adventure.”

Elliot (groaning, pocketing the coin reluctantly): “Adventure? I was just trying to catch a bus.”

God of Coincidence (looking amused): “And yet, here you are, on the brink of something far more interesting. You see, this coin—this exact coin—will be the reason you meet a saxophone player in a revolving door next Tuesday. And trust me, it’ll be worth the wait.”

Elliot (blinking, confused): “Saxophone player? Revolving door? What are you even talking about?”

God of Coincidence (winking): “Oh, just a little something to look forward to. Coincidences do tend to stack, you know.”

[End Scene]