Body Double

I have identical twin sisters, B and M. When we were little, most people had a hard time telling them apart. Not having the luxury of seeing them every day, they would always say, Magkamukhang-magkamukha ("They look so much alike"). But of course, I can always tell the difference. B's face is a tad rounder than M's; M's cheekbones a bit gaunter. B's nose is just a wee bit bigger. And though their eyes can light up like saucers when they're excited, M's are shyer. If you didn't know her, you'd think she was mahinhin (timid). But really, M just doesn't care.

When they were little, our neighbors would always call them kambal, (twins) as if one name was enough for the two of them. True, they were the same in a lot of things (their hair, for instance, are both black and straight, although they became lighter in later years) but they were also different in many ways.

B was the more cheerful of the two, and her smiling ways earned her the monicker, gandabae (beautiful girl). We also called her kaliko, short for makalikot because she loved tinkering with things, and destroying them in the process. M had the darker personality but in truth, she is so much of an idealist. One time, she woke up from a bad dream. She was crying and crying and wouldn't stop saying these words, "Gusto kong maging direktor!" ("I want to be a director.") And know what? Years and years later, M did become a director... an art director. Meanwhile, kaliko B ended up tinkering with wires and semi-precious stones weaving them into beautiful pieces of jewelry. Funny how things always turn out the way they're supposed to.

I am remembering all this because I saw Leaves of Grass the other day, and in it, Edward Norton plays twin brothers. In one scene, the philosophy professor brother makes like he is the marijuana growing brother, so that the latter can do some dirty business. It is hilarious to me because my twin sisters once traded places with one another; M going to B's school and B attending M's classes. That was really funny!

I've always wondered what it would be like to have a twin, to share a bond with someone so unique. Well, if it's anything like my sisters', then it would have been absolutely awesome. Love you, guys! :)