I’ve been thinking a lot lately about Karma. Slash secretly hoping that someday it will come back and kick a certain person in the ass – however, I’m genuinely curious as to whether or not Karma really exists. The wonderful internet resource that is always correct, Wikipedia, describes Karma as, “What goes around comes around.” You know, the Christian idea of reaping what you sow, violence begets violence, Murphy’s law, whatever you want to call it. Basically do something shitty and eventually something shitty will happen to you.
Do you believe it?
The shitty things could be anything really, but I’m wondering the severity of punishment – and what actions fall into “what goes around comes around?” For example, my sister was a kleptomaniac as a child. She stole everything. Including the baby Jesus from a nativity scene at her preschool. We still have art projects at home that boast other children’s names on the back, as my sister swiped them. Does stealing things as a child mean that Karma will come back and get you?
The reason I ask – is that something very unfortunate happened to me a few years back, and my friend’s reaction to it was, “Wow, you must have done something really shitty as a kid, or in a past life to get that kind of Karma.” Did I? Was breaking my siblings toys or tying my baby brother to the back of my bike in a wagon (he had a helmet and pads on – don’t worry) something that would cause a horrible thing to happen as an adult?
Two years ago I was living in New York City with my then boyfriend (now husband). I didn’t know very many people, but my college roommate happened to be living there and working at a sweet job that scored us preview tickets to Speed the Plow on Broadway. Yep – the same one where Jeremy Piven feigned mercury poisoning. I’m guessing to get out of the role because he was NOT good. At all. But whatever, I digress. It was Mamet, it was Broadway, I was in. Erin lived in Queens, and I in Brooklyn, so we decided to meet at the theater early, so we could get dinner in the area and then head to the show. My timing was off so I got there super early, and was waiting for her outside of the theater playing on my iPhone. Suddenly the door opened and a short, grey haired man in a very expensive suit comes out, and says, “Elle?” to my back. I look around, I’m definitely the only person there, so I turn to face him. His face turns to shock, and he says, “Oh, I’m sorry, you look exactly like our understudy!” I laugh, and immediately blush.
I was so excited – this guy thought I was a Broadway actress! I was mistaken for an actress on the street, and that street was Broadway! I was elated. I told Erin the entire story when she arrived and we giggled uncontrollably that I was mistaken for Elizabeth Moss’ understudy. It was awesome. We had some dinner and headed to the sold out show – still giddy about the earlier interaction. For those of you who don’t know, Speed the Plow is a three person play – two men and one woman. Which meant there was only one understudy. Why is this important? I’ll tell you.
When we got to the theater, we were given our playbills and immediately started searching for the understudy’s bio and photo – to see who I could have been mistaken for. Erin got there first, “Wow! She’s pretty!” Erin said. Then I got there. And it took a second, but I realized immediately that I knew that face. I won’t name her, but it was definitely her. My boyfriend (now husband)’s ex-girlfriend.
I’ll tangent into saying that the only reason this mattered is because Vic only ever had one girlfriend before me. In our teeny tiny town in Washington State. In high school. And I was mistaken for her on the street in New York years later. That has to be karma, right?
So in hoping that Karma exists – what the hell did I do as a kid or in a past life to be put in that unfortunate situation? Do you believe in Karma? Do you have someone in your life that you would love to have Karma come back and bite in the ass?
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