Living a Lie: a dramatic journey to identical truth.

Hello, readers.

I would like to welcome our esteemed guest, Mrs. Kristin Kirker Rochester. A woman among women. My co-boarder in the womb of one Carol Sue Kirker during a balmy 1979.*

Kelley: Kristin, thank you ever so much for joining us this evening.
Kristin: Thanks, boo. (I will go by that for the remainder of the article to keep us straight.)
B: Do us a favor and walk us through the conversation and happenings that changed our lives forever. Not to be dramatic or anything.
K: I was at a party for the Fourth and bumped into a mother of 3 year old twin boys. They looked incredibly identical and, after mentioning I was a twin, she asked me if we were as well. I answered with my standard, "we're fraternal but look identical. Like Mary Kate and Ashley Olson". She followed that comment by saying she figures her sons are identical but they just hadn't gotten around to the DNA test yet.
B: I am on the edge of my seat. What does it all mean?
K: She went on to say, "don't you know that identical twins can have separate amniotic sacs?" **
B: Right... uh.. what??
K: So- my thought bubble said, "then WHY (in the midst of our similarities) did Cam and Carol assume we were fraternal when the docs said it was so?"

This is probably the point in the story where it is essential you know we were a total surprise. Like... "we didn't make our presence known until mom was in labor" kind of surprise. All along, Carol was told that she was carrying one big boy. The only proof to the contrary was a recurring dream she had. Mom dreamt that she was rocking a baby but could hear another baby crying in the distance. Never the one she was holding. This would prove to be foreshadowing of what was to come. It is also true that the author of this blog is old enough to be a product of the times before regular ultrasounds. We digress.

K: I think I also said, "OMG... I need to call boo!"
B: Which I recall reacting less logically. Didn't I scream, "WHAT AM I IF NOT A FRATERNAL TWIN?"
K: THAT LOOKS JUST LIKE HER BESTIE?
B: riiiiiight?!
K: Didn't you immediately google it?
B: I did. I also sent mom and dad an email asking if it could be true.
K: Dad responded with "yeah, guess so"
B: To which I responded... "GUESS WE'RE BOYS TOO!"
K: You're not rational.
B: There's no time for logic. 30 years have been a lie. We have to figure out our new story to tell people.
K: What should it be?
B: This isn't the place. We have to figure that out amongst ourselves.
K: So, wait... do you think we're identical for real?
*silence*
B: Kris.
K: What? Are we?
B: IMPOSS. you have red hair. I have brown.
K: NEITHER of us come by those colors honestly, if you know what I'm saying.
B: At least I'm graying honestly.
K: Get back to the point.
B: Let's wrap this up. I'm getting tired.
K: Me too.
B: So, from here on out we're just not sure. Is that right?
K: Yep.
B: So, we may be identical twins. We may be fraternal twins.
K: Yeah.

B: Thank you for your insights, Ms. Rochester. I know we've taken you away from laundry doing and various and sundry tasks. You are appreciated.
K: My phone is going to die, by the way.
B: I love you too. G'night.
K: Oh, boo.... I love you. Good night.
B: I hear a helicopter.***

*during Hurricane David, yes.
** Until now, we believed what we'd been told: Identical means a shared sac and placenta while fraternal means separate for both.
***I have never claimed not to have A.D.D. Also, this is, verbatim, the phone call that just took place on a quiet Tuesday evening.

xo,
your potentially identical friend.