"Strangers are just friends you haven't met yet."

A meeting of serendipity changed everything

My father often said, "Strangers are just friends you haven't met yet."

Mattie didn't usually work as a concierge at that hotel in Iceland. But that day, she was filling in for a friend. A meeting of serendipity changed everything.

Let me go back 18 hours. My friend, Kendra, and I met up in Maryland for a five-day adventure to Iceland. We stopped at a department store to pick up a few last-minute items. Two women were standing next to us at the counter, but we thought nothing of it. We approached the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel, and my friend reached into her purse to get the toll. Her wallet was not there! We even drove back to her house to see if she had left it on the counter. Nothing.

We discussed what to do and decided to continue because I had my wallet and credit cards with me, we both had our passports, tickets, transfer, tour and hotel receipts, we should not miss the opportunity to experience Iceland.We went back through the tunnel, I paid the toll, and dropped my wallet back in my purse (I thought). We were off on an adventure!

We got through the parking, the TSA lines, and check-in just in time to board. We'd made it, relieved and tired! Halfway through the flight, somewhere over Newfoundland or Greenland, the flight crew came by offering snacks and sandwiches. I reached in for my wallet and MINE wasn't there! Holy moly. What in the world! The person sitting next to us bought our snacks and said it would all be okay.

Most everything was paid for, including the hotel room with breakfast, transfers, and day trips. We were only planning to stay for three days. It would be okay, fingers crossed. We retrieved our bags, loaded them onto the bus, and arrived at our hotel around 7 am. It was November, pitch black, and raining. We couldn't get into our room until noon. The clerk on duty that morning let us eat breakfast, even though we had not yet officially checked in. We went down the breakfast line loading our plates and pockets with boiled eggs, sliced cucumbers and tomatoes, bread, cheese, ham, salami, and oranges. Lunch and dinner, check!

While the rest of our group went out exploring, we spent the morning in the hotel lobby using the public internet terminals to cancel cards and attend to other tasks that come with losing wallets. It was at that time that Matti took over at the desk. Shortly after she came over and sat with us.

"Here, I want you to have this, it is all I have now, but I will go to the bank and get more. I know the trouble you're in. I want you to have a wonderful time here in Iceland, so please take this." She handed us 920 Icelandic kroners (a little more than $6). "When I get off, I will take you for lunch". And she did. She took us down to the harbor where the fishing fleet was coming back in for the day. We ate a delicious Icelandic smorgasbord at Kaenan Restaurant with the sailors.

Matti told us she would be off work the next day and would help us, as well as serve as our tour guide for the day. She was delightful, showing us her hometown of Hafnarfjörður and the capital city Reykjavík. She took us to the Perlan Natural History Center, where we saw a real geyser that erupts inside the building. And we learned about the Icelandic gnomes.

We stopped at her bank, where the manager spoke with my bank manager and arranged for money to be transferred from my account. The Icelandic bank then provided me with cash. They also gave us coffee, cookies and chocolates. What remarkable service!

Then she dropped us back off at the hotel, saying she would pick us up that evening to take us to her friend's seafood bistro. She had a dentist appointment, but would be back.

It turned out that she had a root canal! She said, "That's okay, it's still numb, let's go!" What a joyous evening we had. We had picked up another of our travel cohorts who was vacationing with her son. He met a girl on a day tour and invited her to dinner. So we added the "abandoned mother" to our little band. We had an absolutely delicious meal at her friend's restaurant: lobster bisque, herring on flat bread, and an excellent seafood salad. A scrumptious poached fish entree. AND to top it off, homemade ice cream.

The next day we took the Circle Tour through Iceland, what a fantastic day it was. And then we headed back home. It WAS an adventure in so many ways.

We loved Iceland. Terrain we had never seen before, water everywhere, geysers, waterfalls, oceans, breathtaking arctic landscapes. Wonderful soups and breads along the way. But what I remember most, and comes to mind first, is Matti. She went out of her way to be sure that we experienced the hospitality and graciousness of the Icelandic people. She showed me by being open-hearted, gracious, hospitable, and generous that I can offer that, too. What a gift she gave us.

About a week after I was home, I received a Facebook friend request, and it was from Matti. We have been friends since December 2016. Every time I see a post from her, I can't help but smile.

My dad was right: "Strangers ARE just friends you haven't met yet."