The name eludes me....

[geobird24]

A mind is a terrible thing to have.

I read a short story about 10 years ago. I'm trying to find it again, but of course I can't remember the name.
The premise involved people all over the world doing the same random thing at the same time. For instance, one day, everyone went out and bought spools of pink thread. Another day, everyone in the northeast decided to drive into NYC.

Does that ring a bell with anyone? If so, tell me the name of the story (and the author) and you might (or might not) win a fabulous prize! :)

Thanks for your time.

[Suricou]

Just call me the Great Googler!

I had never heard of anything like you describe, but with some careful searching I discovered the title is "The Law".

I have been unable to locate a simple text version of it, but here is an audio version of it: http://www.speakuponline.it/archivio/02-2003/shortstory.htm

"This month's short story is 'The Law' by the late American author, Robert M. Coates. Originally published in the New Yorker in 1947, the story is set in the Big Apple during that era. Coates starts by describing an imaginary traffic jam on the Triborough Bridge and goes on to reflect on the nature of collective human behavior."

[geobird24]

Thanks, Oh Great Googler!

(Not that I didn't try repeatedly googling. You must have had some magic words that I didn't.)

Now that the title mystery is solved, I can hunt for a hard copy of it. Don't know why it made such an impression on me (the content, not the title, obviously).

Thanks again.