Two octogenarians converged in a wood

Sometimes things just make you wonder...

On Thursday, Frank Perdue, the Chicken King of Baltimore, died. The founder and longtime CEO of Perdue Farms, Perdue was the guy who pitched his poultry products in commercials with the line, "It takes a tough man to make a tender chicken." He became a pioneer in the "I'm not just the president, I'm also the pitchman" genre of advertising that later gave us such stalwarts as popcorn guru Orville Redenbacher, Dave Thomas of Wendy's, Victor Kiam of Remington ("I liked the shaver so much, I bought the company!"), and Sy Sperling of Hair Club for Men. Frank Perdue was 84 years old.

Now, just two days later, Karol Wojtyla, better known as Pope John Paul II, dies. He too was 84 years old.

Hmm...

The Pope was a Pole. Frank Perdue sold poultry.

Frank Perdue lived in a city named for Lord Baltimore. John Paul lived in a city some consider dedicated to an even higher Lord.

The Pope was Catholic. Frank Perdue's chickens did not have lips. Neither man lived in the woods.

Frank Perdue preferred that people eat chicken every day. The Pope preferred that people not eat red meat on Fridays (even though it's no longer a hard and fast rule, as I understand it).

Both men wore funny hats.

Coincidence?

You decide.