Darwin serves me lunch

I was at an all-day conference today. At lunchtime, the caterers entered the conference room bearing food of a distinctly buffetty nature. But I wasn't looking at the food: I was staring open-mouthed at one of the gentlemen bringing it in. For he was none other than Charles Robert Darwin, scientist, explorer, and originator of the single greatest idea anyone has ever had.

What on earth was Charles Darwin doing serving me lunch? It was unmistakeably he: the bushy beard, the bald head, the distinctly ape-like brow. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

After a while, I realised that it couldn't possibly be Charles Darwin, because Charles Darwin has been dead for almost 127 years. But it was a truly uncanny likeness. I wanted to rush over to the very distinguished elderly gentleman and ask, "Do you know that you're the spitting image of Charles Darwin?", and show him my Charles Darwin key-fob to prove my point. I didn't do that, of course, for I am British, and that is not how we Brits do things. Besides, I was supposed to be taking minutes.

Over lunch, I asked my boss if he had noticed Charles Darwin serving us lunch. He hadn't. But he did see him a short while later when Charles Darwin came back to collect the empty plates. Nobody else had noticed. Only my boss and I realised that we were in the presence of greatness.

Richard Carter, FCD

Writer and photographer Richard Carter, FCD is the founder of the Friends of Charles Darwin. He lives in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire.WebsiteNewsletterMastodonetc…

One comment

  1. That's bizarre.
    You sure it wasn't in fact the Amazing James Randi?
    Did you find your spoon mysteriously, yet rationally, bent after he had served your table?

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