My Twin

Most Saturdays find me sitting on the sidelines at some soccer game where Drew is warming a bench, watching the ball zip back and forth from one end of the field to the other, yelling at the near misses, screaming at the goals. The Finney team has so far won one game, and it was a game that Drew got to play in a lot. Usually he only plays to spell the varsity players or if the game is going well and they can put in the B string.

Last Saturday was no exception. The day was glorious - sunny but not humid, a bit of a breeze. The game was held at a sports complex in Webster where multiple concurrent games for kids of all ages were running. Ours was out back behind the skating rink where there were bleachers and an official score board. I had taken some knitting because I know how long the breaks are, and because the boys were required to be there for the girls' game.

As I was sitting there waiting for the game to begin, I overheard a snatch of conversation between other parents sitting nearby, and offered a small comment. We struck up quite a conversation, and one woman, named Molly, and I started to compare notes. It was eerie how our lives were like carbon copies. I have five boys, so does she. I am divorced, so is she. I have a degree in music and so does she. We are the same age. We were both there watching our youngest son play. Her son is just one grade up from Drew. Her oldest is the same age as my oldest.

This conversation played out over the first half of the game. It was almost more than we could absorb. I mean, you know other people are experiencing the same things you are, but you don't often run slam bang into them. Finally, Molly couldn't take it, and excused herself to go talk with some other parents she knew.

In the car on the way home (they lost 5 - 1), I told Drew about Molly. He was happy that I had found a new friend. I told him I didn't think we would become bosom buddies because we are too much alike. Not in looks, just in personality. One usually gets along better with someone who complements their make up, not duplicates it.

Drew thought about that for awhile. He doesn't see it. People who are exactly the same ought to get along great. I wonder. It will be interesting to see if Molly and I further our acquaintance. We'll see.