The Same Man Appeared in Three Places

There is a man I have seen three times in my life.

The first time was on a bus when I was a child. He sat across from me, wearing a dark coat and holding a red book. I remember him because he smiled at me like he knew me.

The second time was twelve years later, at an airport in another country. Same face. Same dark coat. Same red book.

He did not look older.

The third time was last year, outside a hospital. I saw him standing near the entrance, looking directly at me. This time, he did not smile.

I turned to tell my friend, and when I looked back, he was gone.

Maybe it was just someone who looked similar. Maybe my mind connected three different strangers. But I cannot shake the feeling that it was the same person every time.