Time matters.

Time truly only matters twice in one’s life. When you are born and when you die. For me, the former matters the most. I’m 1 minute and 39 seconds younger than my sister Mary and those two minutes condemned me to always being her younger sister.

However, I’m not the baby of the family. That honor was bestowed on our brother Luke, by exactly 3 minutes and 14 seconds. Yes, my family boasts not one, but two sets of identical twins. The pecking goes; Mary then me, my brother Landon and then our baby brother Luke. Because of the time difference between Landon and Luke, our parents called him pi.

My name is Molly, this is my story. How being a twin gave us each superpowers. How using them for good vs. evil matters. Before I get into all that, let me lay out some background about my sister and brothers.

When we were small, we were more than dress up dolls for our mom. She would dress Mary and me in matching pattern dresses. My brother’s suffered as well. The extra material she would create patchwork cowboy shirts to match our dresses. We were quite the talk of the town, the cutest dress up dolls our small town of Morgan, Oregon had ever seen. Trips into town were dress up affairs with all the fussing two sets of twins could muster.

Our mother would make up reasons to go into town on Saturday mornings just to get her pride stroked by the local gossip. “Those are just the cutest sweeties, I think I have ever seen.” Mrs. Johnson would say as she reddened our cheeks with fat finger pinches. Mrs. Johnson owned ‘Timeless Treasures’, a floor to rafter filled store of things children were not allowed to touch. Just imagine twins in a store like that, now double it. A nightmare to say the least.

The store was next to the post office and across the street from our favorite store. ‘Treacle Tarts’, the local creamery and sweets shop.

“Okay, everyone on your best behavior and we will go for ice cream after mommy has a look around Mrs. Johnson store. No touching!” The allure of ice cream usually did the trick, but Luke usually took this to mean it was opposite day, and he would touch everything, just to get under her skin.

With two sets of identical twins only 22 months apart, there were times I didn’t believe any of us would see our next birthday’s. Terrible two’s for our parents must have been hell on earth. Mary and me throwing things, biting each other and the babies, although they deserved it. We maintained a level of insanity only twins can dish out. Then to go through that madness a second time in less that two years, drove our parents to drink. I don’t think my parent slept for those four’ish years.

Then came braces and hormones. Mary and me hitting woman-hood at the same time while having to add locks to the bathroom doors allowing us privacy from our shit for noisy brothers. Mary handled the big moment with grace, while I happened to be at a friends birthday party wearing the brightest white pants that could be seen from space, when the red dragon spoiled the piñata bashing.

Boys are so easy, they have been fiddling with their odd appendage since they were 2 or 3 years old. For them discovering the final pleasure at the end of a quick day dreams rub-down only added to their true grossness. Finding crusty socks in the corner of the downstairs bathroom on laundry day was truly disgusting.

Lastly, driving and first dates. Dad handled both. For driving duties: he was soft, patient and encouraging with Mary and me. For the boys, his instruction was fire and brimstone on controlling the lead that pinned the accelerator to the floorboard. When it came to first dates, he was polar opposite. Fire and brimstone to Mary’s and my dates, and marshmallow sweet to the girls Landon and Luke brought home.

“Betty” as she was called, was the old Plymouth Fury station wagon our dad purchased for $800.00 dollars from the corner used car lot owned by Bradley Baker. Betty was a tank, fully armored faux wood panel siding that was slightly scratched on the passenger side. Sun faded yellow paint exterior with vinyl tan interior seats and a saggy headliner. The radio never worked, dad explained that music for young drivers was too much of a distraction anyway. There were only a few car rules we had to follow.

1. If the tank is at 1/4 we had to get gas. This was more of a precaution since dad was not sure if the gauge really worked. It was not about to get out of bed to schlep a gas can across town because we ran out.
2. If you get a ticket, you have to own up to it.
3. We had to share the car and be responsible for getting all four of us to and from school, to work in Mary’s case, and to other events, like sports practice etc.
4. If you put a dint in her, you paid for the damage.

Growing up Mary and I had the hardest jobs, taking care of our little brothers. We had a system that worked. Mary would tie them down and I would gag them. Just kidding. We battled the snot monsters when they were little with their tricks and pranks, but later we realized how lucky we were to have them.

Mary, the golden child. The negotiator. She always sees a win-win way out of everything. Mom and dad were blind to her ‘I’ve done nothing wrong’ persona. If she was allowed to explain the situation, by the end, they would question the vary nature of the complaint.

I guess I’m the please-r. The one that sees conflict coming and does everything to avoid the situation. I’m the one that had to work hard for everything I achieved, no skating here. I was often bloody from the grindstone.

Landon, the protector. His mouth was quick, but his hands were quicker. He is fearless and always finished on top, even if he didn’t start the fight. Even as other boys got bigger and stronger, they remembered the early ass whooping and would back down when they saw him coming.

Luke, the superhero. He was the invisible Teflon coated Jedi. His mind tricks fool the dull witted and standing directly in the midst of chaos was never seen. And if caught, punishment for the crime never seems to stick, it just slide right off his slick exterior.

One day at lunch in the seventh grade, I witnessed one of his superpower moments. We were in the cafeteria at school. We each had a tray of food and were looking for our favorite bench. Mary was in front of Landon then Luke and I was just a bit behind. I could not make up my mind about the flavor of Jell-O I favored that day.

As the four of us rounded the first row of tables, Jason Jackson intentionally stood up and bumped Mary sending her tray crashing to the floor. I could see Landon’s clenched fist swing back into my path. I quickly grabbed his arm and spun him around.

“Don’t you’ll be expelled this time.” I said loudly.

“He has it coming.”

“I don’t disagree, but help Mary.”

Just as I squared to face Jason, Luke who had been standing in front of me just to the side, push his whole tray of food into Jason’s over-sized face. As Jason stumbled back and cleared the peas from his mashed potato covered eyes. A voice rang out.

“FOOD FIGHT”.

It was Luke. Standing on the bench directly in front of the stunned giant. With a flick of his wrist, hand full of chocolate pudding a second barrage ensued. The cafeteria erupted with volleys from both sides, there was no place to hide.

Now, you would think with the 10 or so students sitting at or directly across from the table, were the melee started, had a perfect vantage point to produce and accurate account of the event. Yet, in almost every witness statement, “Jason stood up, bumped into Mary, laughed and the food fight began.” It was baffling to me.

Of course, my statement to Mr. Carlson, the principal, was not much different. I assured him that Mary was not hurt in the altercation, and that I was able to share my remaining lunch with her and that the trauma of the event would not linger to affect any of her afternoon classes. He warned me to control Landon and that any retaliation on his part would have dire consequences for him in the form of expulsion.

As I left the principal’s office, it dawned on me, he never once asked me about mister invisible, not a single mention.

During the next break, I caught up with Landon and Mary and told them about my meeting with Mr. Carlson. They confirmed the same thing, he never asked either of them about who started the food fight. I told Landon, who was still foaming at mouth over Jason’s behavior, that any fighting with Jason would be and automatic suspension. Landon agreed not the fight Jason for the situation, but that someday he would get his revenge.

When we got home that afternoon our father was waiting for us in the kitchen. Mother met us at the front door and collected our backpacks and told us each they would be on our beds when we were done.

“So, who wants to tell me what really happened...”

Mary started to open her mouth to speak, when she was cut-off.

“Well dad, there was this really mean kid, Jason. He pushed Mary really hard to the ground, and her food tray went flying. Then he turned to Landon to pick a fight with him. Landon was really mad. He was ready to knock his block off, when Molly grabbed him to keep him from clobbering that behemoth. He would have surely been expelled for fighting had she not reacted so quickly.”

He paused for a quick glance of recognition in my direction and winked.

“Then all heck broke out. Some kids started throwing their food at Jason, hitting him right in the face. Next thing I knew, the cafeteria was a skating rink of Jell-O, mashed potato’s and chocolate pudding. Not to mention cartons of milk everywhere.” With that Luke took a breath, waved his hand, and I swear I heard him say, “these are not the kids your looking for...”

Our father, sat back in his chair, crossed his arms, looked at each of us and said. “Mary, I’m glad you were not hurt. Molly, quick thinking to save your brother from himself and his temper. Landon, I’ll have no retaliation for this incident, understood? Now, go to your rooms and work on your homework. You mother will have diner ready at 5:30 pm. I expect you all to be wearing clean cloths and that the bathroom will be cleaned before dinner. Now go.”

With the discussion over, we left his side. As I ascended the stairs, I realized, once again the Jedi had gotten away completely unseen, completely unpunished for everything. He smashed the food in Jason’s face, he started the food fight, but he was invisible, and his mind tricks pulled the wool over our fathers eyes.

This was just one example of Luke’s amazing abilities. This continued all through our childhood, young adult lives and continues to this day.

Of course, there were still the constant calls during our school years from counselors and principals asking our parents to keep us in line. I think dressing alike to switch classes, taking advantage of our educational gifts was pretty much the last straw. Mary and I only attempted this subterfuge once, well we only got caught once.

Landon and Luke each played sports and were able to channel some of their energy into fooling referees, umpires and coaches by switching jersey during a game or during half-time. If Landon, the enforcer, got a yellow card the coach would pull him out of the game, only to have the switch be made and the enforcer would rejoin the game.

When it came to dating, for Mary and I, the guys always seemed to get side tracked with the fantasy of having the two of us at the same time, which is a real turnoff. Personal preferences aside, we were both attracted to one boy at the same time and we each promised the other, not pursue him.

That lasted about 2 hours, before Mary was on the phone giggling the the closet over his idea for a date later that week. Then two weeks later, when she dumped him, I decided he was better for me. Boy was I wrong. Henry Halburt was as dull as his name. He did come from money and had a nice new BMW, but as much as I liked the car, his droll humor was to difficult to get past.

After college and several men later, it turned out, Mary’s greatest conquest, turned out to be Jason Jackson, who had a crush on her since middle school. Today they have a set of redheaded twin boys. Jonathan and James. At least she is well prepared to take on the challenge.

Landon and Jason buried the hatchet their senior year, after both made it to the Oregon state high school wrestling championships. They finish 2nd and 3rd in their respective weight classes.

Landon went on to become a Sheriff in town an fell in love with Betty Baker, the daughter of the used car salesman. She took over the dealership when her dad started showing signs of early dementia. Landon and Betty live with her parents to be close and help her mom and dad.

I was a school councilor at Morgan High School. I have a wonderful husband, Tanner, we met in college. We have a three year old German Sheppard, named Max. He is a rescue and loves to play catch and go for long walks. Tanner and I never had kids, turns out neither one of us had the god given gift. We volunteer down at the VFW on the weekends sharing our love with our local veterans. We talked about adopting over the years, but for us it was never meant to be.

As for our baby brother Luke, the Jedi. Well, he writes greeting cards for a living for a national chain of stationary stores. At least that is what he tells everyone who asks.

Straight out of high school, which by the way the little shit was one of seven valedictorians, he attended Columbia University where he studied social economics. After college he joined the military and was a spec-ops officer for 6 years. He met and fell in love with a wonderful Israeli woman, Ledhrei. They moved back to Washington D.C. a few years ago and have a beautiful daughter, Eli. We don’t get to see them much, he travels a lot and Ledhrei is in the diplomatic corp. She is a liaison interrupter for Israeli dignitaries to the U.S. State department.

Lying here, looking back over my life, I realize that everyone my age must at some point look back. Thoughts drifting in and out of memories. Some good, some bad. The sum of life is what is capture in the tiny synopsis that still fire and are in working order. That thing that is robbed by disease and age. Those memories that we have sharpened to razor edge over our lives come to the forefront of our minds. Slipping, dimming, fading to the nothingness that is old age.

To my sister Mary, you have been my best friend, my confidant, my rock. You above all understand the loss, our connection, our shared life. As a twin you do feel the same pains, the same glory, and the love. Kiss my nieces for me, tell them how proud I am of them.

To Landon, my protector. You have been my strength. You have always been their, through the good and bad fights of my life. Be their for Tanner and the rest of the family as you always have been.

To Luke, my favorite Jedi. I wish now more than every you could Jedi mind trick this illness away. Cleanse my mind from the fear.

Replace my longing with piece. Your gift to this world can only be wasted if you truly don’t allow those around you to see you, the real you. Please stay, and keep our family safe.

To Tanner, my love. Keep in focus the good memories and let the bad ones fade. I love you, my husband and our dog Max. I cherish the years we have had together, the times we have laughed and cried together. Be brave.

Until we meet again.

Molly