A short film was made recently about a resident of Hyndland which dealt with a coincidence and presented a coincidence during the filming process. Donald (84) and Morag Mathieson have lived in the area for twenty five years. In his working life Donald was a cartographer by profession and travelled over Scotland and the north of England. He was recently asked by his thirteen yea rold grandson, Neil McLaren, who was undertaking a school project into pasttimes, for any anecdotes about his life.

Donald told Neil this tale. In the year 1950 while carrying out a survey in the Barrhead area Donald decided to save himself some time by climbing an embankment of rubble and rock. He reached for a slab which seemed secure. At that moment he fell backwards taking the stone with him. After dusting himself down he was intrigued to discover that the slab was in fact part of a gravestone which bore his own name. Donald has carried the memory of this uncanny coincidence ever since.

Move forward to the year 2011 when a group of film students from Clydebank College are turning this incident into a short film. Imagine the surprise of actor Steven Galloni who was playing the part of the young Donald when he realised that he knew Donald from his early teenage years working in the family cafe (the Terracina) in Partick. The Mathiesons along with their daughter Laura and son in law Derek had been frequent visitors to the cafe. All concerned have been charmed by this series of coincidences. 

Pictured are Donald Steven and James Gellatly (Director)

Judith A. Johnston