Settling in I am waiting for the darkness and the movie to begin. But they wouldn’t quit nudging me until I looked. Squinting so it looked as if I didn’t care, I casually glanced toward where they had been pointing. Across the theatre in our same row were as many young men’s faces as the ones I was sitting between, all turned in my direction. I leaned back in my seat and closed my eyes. Relentless, they begged me to just take a look. Slowly I placed each hand on the empty seat in front of me, leaned forward, turned and then that’s when I saw her. She leaned forward in her seat and turned her face toward me.It did feel as if time shuddered as I saw another young woman in a small movie theater in Hyannis who looked exactly like me.
At twenty I had spent more time looking at aspects of my face than searching for glimpses of my soul. There was no doubt, however, that I saw myself in her face, and from her quick response, I knew she had seen herself in a mirror. She sat back, slunk down in her seat and hid behind the shoulder of the man next to her. When I left the theater I looked for her but she was gone. What would we have said to each other anyway?
A lot like dwelling on the details of our own eventual death, even though we’ve been told to be on the lookout for our twin somewhere in the world, it remains an unsettling desire. There just are so many faces to go around. Did she leave the Cape as I did? What about happiness and longevity? I only know what twists and turns my life took. I only know my own name.
Sunday Scribblings prompted us to write about the ever-present name tag, "hi, my name is..."
16 comments:
Not being a good writer myself, I am in awe of those who can. I read the Sunday scribblings but haven't tried to participate....maybe someday. Thanks for visiting my blog.
oh i could never have let that opportunity pass me by... i would have been over there so fast the boys heads would still be swinging!!!!!
I'm with Paisley, I would have wanted to know all about her.
You're a stronger woman than I!
I had a very strange experience on a train in Amsterdam years ago. A woman the drawn image of my mother but with darker eyes, so alike it was frightening. I wish now I had started a conversation. This piece is beautifully told -- fiction or truth?
This is excellent and I like the facxt that I can't quite tell if its truth or fiction. I once saw someone who looked very like me (she was too far away for me to see whether she was identical) and she was wearing the same outfit as well! I don't know whether I would have spoken even if I did get the chance
What a great story. But I keep asking... what was up with her, hiding... perhaps just the 'age'?
I went to school with a girl, we were from different parts of the city but met up in HS, for a couple of years people had been mistaking her for me but although it was 'kind of' close.. not really. We were good friends for a few years.
This is a fascinating story, I'd love to know if it's fact or fiction??
What a wonderful tale. Perhaps the girl who fled knew the truth, and she didn't want to share it with the narrator.
Deeply, deeply mysterious, life is.
Fabulous. If it's fiction, it reads like truth, if truth, it's a universal feeling, if not a universal situation.
-- MissMeliss
Is it fact? Is it fiction? I like the way you left it open for interpretation.
I also wondered if it was fact or fiction. I have had numerous people tell me I have twins. Excellent post.
Very interesting. I've heard the theory mentioned but haven't heard it described - enjoyed your post!
I was completely caught up in this. Like Paisley and Princess said, I would have wanted to speak to her though.
When I was in High school, I was several times mistaken for a girl named Theresa. I never met her, but always wanted to, if we looked so alike that people confused us, I always wanted to know who she was.
I've never seen, in person, someone so like me that we could be really confused with one another, but I once saw a photograph - possibly in National Geographic - of a Romanian woman who could have been me.
Well written - as usual!
Evocative piece, it leaves my insides kind of shivering. A great match with the photo, too. Thanks for visiting swirlingnotions!
Post a Comment