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Fate: The dictionary defines it as “the development of events beyond a person’s control, regarded as determined by a supernatural power.”
But is life really that predestined? Are we constantly being quietly steered onto different paths that somehow intersect at exactly the right moment. . . or the wrong one, depending on how you tell the story?
Call it fate, destiny, providence, chance, luck, or kismet. Whatever the name, I have no doubt that if my original plan to attend college in Hawaii had worked out, I would never have met—and married—my husband.
Lives don’t usually change with a trumpet blast. More often, they pivot on something small. Slightly ridiculous. Easily dismissed.
Or moments like this:
Picture a divorced suburban mother dropping off her boyfriend at a train station because he predicted a 35% chance of rain and didn’t want his car to get wet. She’s minding her own business when a strange man in a rumpled waiter’s uniform suddenly grabs her and begs her to walk with him.
Naturally, her first instinct is to run.
But something in his eyes—equal parts desperation and sincerity—makes her stop. Against her better judgment, she agrees to help. She boards a train to deliver a package to “the man in the red hat,” only to discover there are twenty-five men wearing red hats in the same car. So you do the only sensible thing: you take the package home.
Now here’s where it gets interesting.
What if Amanda King had followed directions?
Would she and Lee Stetson ever have met again? Would he have looked for her? Would they still have become reluctant coworkers. . . then best friends. . . then partners. . . then something far more complicated?
Who knows?
But I’m fairly certain she never imagined that one impulsive decision—one wildly inconvenient, slightly terrifying chance encounter—would flip her entire life inside out.
Because in a single moment, everything can change. And life, it turns out, is a series of. . . chance encounters.
But is life really that predestined? Are we constantly being quietly steered onto different paths that somehow intersect at exactly the right moment. . . or the wrong one, depending on how you tell the story?
Call it fate, destiny, providence, chance, luck, or kismet. Whatever the name, I have no doubt that if my original plan to attend college in Hawaii had worked out, I would never have met—and married—my husband.
Lives don’t usually change with a trumpet blast. More often, they pivot on something small. Slightly ridiculous. Easily dismissed.
Or moments like this:
Picture a divorced suburban mother dropping off her boyfriend at a train station because he predicted a 35% chance of rain and didn’t want his car to get wet. She’s minding her own business when a strange man in a rumpled waiter’s uniform suddenly grabs her and begs her to walk with him.
Naturally, her first instinct is to run.
But something in his eyes—equal parts desperation and sincerity—makes her stop. Against her better judgment, she agrees to help. She boards a train to deliver a package to “the man in the red hat,” only to discover there are twenty-five men wearing red hats in the same car. So you do the only sensible thing: you take the package home.
Now here’s where it gets interesting.
What if Amanda King had followed directions?
Would she and Lee Stetson ever have met again? Would he have looked for her? Would they still have become reluctant coworkers. . . then best friends. . . then partners. . . then something far more complicated?
Who knows?
But I’m fairly certain she never imagined that one impulsive decision—one wildly inconvenient, slightly terrifying chance encounter—would flip her entire life inside out.
Because in a single moment, everything can change. And life, it turns out, is a series of. . . chance encounters.
Preheat your oven to 400°F and prepare to cook for one hour.
Combine:
Bake until sparks fly.
About Scarecrow and Mrs. King
Scarecrow and Mrs. King was a weekly television series that aired from 1983 to 1987, starring Kate Jackson and Bruce Boxleitner. After Amanda becomes accidentally entangled in a covert mission and saves top agent Lee Stetson, Agency section chief Billy Melrose pairs them together.
As the series unfolds, Amanda evolves from “just helping out” to becoming a full-fledged spy—while being forbidden to tell her family about her secret life, often with hilarious (and occasionally dangerous) results.
Trouble has a habit of finding Amanda, but she brings sharp instincts, compassion, and her own unconventional style to the job. Together, she and Lee become the Agency’s most effective team.
And as their professional partnership deepens, so does their personal one—sparks fly, tension simmers, and eventually they become partners in every sense of the word.
Why This Site Exists
Scarecrow and Mrs. King has long been—and remains—my favorite television show. Much of this site and blog is dedicated to it, including fan fiction and screenplays I’ve written, with the occasional Chuck / Scarecrow and Mrs. King crossover thrown in for good measure (because some chance encounters deserve a little extra fun).
Acknowledgments (Because No One Does This Alone)
A heartfelt thank you to my beta readers—you know who you are. I couldn’t have done this without you.
Additional thanks to:
Endless gratitude to my sister Cathy—an actual historian—for help with timelines and for being my loudest cheerleader.
And finally, to my husband Ed, who tolerates it all.
Which, if we’re being honest, may be the greatest act of fate in the entire story.
Combine:
- One secret agent, codename Scarecrow
- One divorced housewife named Amanda King, complete with two kids, a mortgage, and a station wagon
- A 35% chance of rain
- Twenty-five men in red hats
- Equal parts romance, comedy, and unresolved sexual tension
- And a generous helping of the Cold War
Bake until sparks fly.
About Scarecrow and Mrs. King
Scarecrow and Mrs. King was a weekly television series that aired from 1983 to 1987, starring Kate Jackson and Bruce Boxleitner. After Amanda becomes accidentally entangled in a covert mission and saves top agent Lee Stetson, Agency section chief Billy Melrose pairs them together.
As the series unfolds, Amanda evolves from “just helping out” to becoming a full-fledged spy—while being forbidden to tell her family about her secret life, often with hilarious (and occasionally dangerous) results.
Trouble has a habit of finding Amanda, but she brings sharp instincts, compassion, and her own unconventional style to the job. Together, she and Lee become the Agency’s most effective team.
And as their professional partnership deepens, so does their personal one—sparks fly, tension simmers, and eventually they become partners in every sense of the word.
Why This Site Exists
Scarecrow and Mrs. King has long been—and remains—my favorite television show. Much of this site and blog is dedicated to it, including fan fiction and screenplays I’ve written, with the occasional Chuck / Scarecrow and Mrs. King crossover thrown in for good measure (because some chance encounters deserve a little extra fun).
Acknowledgments (Because No One Does This Alone)
A heartfelt thank you to my beta readers—you know who you are. I couldn’t have done this without you.
Additional thanks to:
- Sarah (aka WhisperRomance / LoveSMK) for signature and wallpaper designs
- Lizzie for the Chance Encounters header
- IWSOD, Annette, and Sarah for SMK screen captures
- Heidi and Lizzie for TV Guide ads and magazine covers
Endless gratitude to my sister Cathy—an actual historian—for help with timelines and for being my loudest cheerleader.
And finally, to my husband Ed, who tolerates it all.
Which, if we’re being honest, may be the greatest act of fate in the entire story.
Disclaimer: Scarecrow and Mrs. King and its characters are the property of Warner Brothers, CBS, and Shoot the Moon Enterprises. No infringement is intended. This is written for entertainment purposes only. Please do not redistribute or reproduce this story without my permission. All rights reserved.
Disclaimer: Chuck and its characters are the property of Warner Brothers, NBC, and College Hills. No infringement is intended. This is written for entertainment purposes only. Please do not redistribute or reproduce this story without my permission. All rights reserved.
