Double Trouble in 2020

Source: B Klein

I can say with great confidence that twins like to fool other people about their identity. Often times twins actually openly act as if they are their brother or sister. Speaking for myself and my twin, I must confess that we played games with other people to fool and confuse them about who was Barbara and who was Marjorie. We would change clothes in the restroom at high school in order to trick our history teacher who took great pride in trying to tell us apart. I felt justified fooling people because I resented all the questions about being a twin. Countless times friends and onlookers asked me, “Are you twins?” or “How is your sister?” My twin sister was a great trickster who enjoyed the attention we received. Marjorie was clearly more into the advantages of looking alike and taking on each other’s identity than I was.

I was in my early twenties when someone asked, “How are you doing?” I was shocked and pleased that they did not ask about my sister. I was actually speechless. Even today in 2020, when someone says, “How are you?” I feel pleased that someone is caring just about me. Being seen as apart from my sister by friends and family was painful but I never thought to complain. Twinship was stardom.

Did beingtwins in a nontwin world give us the right to trick other people about my identity? Probably not. But it was easy and fun, and a way to get attention and get our own way. Actually, I have no regrets or guilt that my twin took my Hebrew test for me when I was 15 so I could graduate and be confirmed in the synagogue. To pay her back I helped Marjorie out with French grades when we were seniors in high school. I told the substitute teacher that we always got the same grades because we were twins. I asked her to make sure that my sister’s grades were the same as mine.

We were careful tricksters and understood the limits of what we could get away with. We didn’t want to get caught. We did not try to trick boyfriends because we knew that we were so different personality-wise that it wouldn’t work. Stories of our shenanigans are family favorites. Actually, my parents should have been ashamed of us and set forth some consequences for bad behavior.

Recently I heard about a new trick that 16-year-old identical twin brothers decided to try, which surprised me for some reason. My confusion may be related to my age and lack of confidence in technology. Here is the 2020 impersonation event: Rob and Joe got new iPhones. Joe decided to use the face recognition feature on his brother’s new phone. Joe was able to get into Rob’s account using this device because Joe and Rob are so identical in appearance. Thinking that it would be fun to pretend he was his brother Rob, Joe emailed Rob’s friends who immediately picked up that Joe was trying to impersonate his brother. When the impersonation caper was discovered, Rob was extremely mad at his brother. Their parents were furious and decided that this behavior was against the family rules. Their phones would be taken away immediately if this trick happened again. I think that some people might call this Twin iPhone trick “identity theft.” But like Rob and Joe’s parents, I was very upset that they were not concerned enough about their individuality. As well, I thought that it was disrespectful for Joe to pretend to be his brother, although I did this myself. Twin impersonation lives on.

Going back in my mind to other twins I have spoken with, I remember twins who traded driving record histories by switching drivers licenses in order to protect against serious charges for drunk driving. Less offensive enactments come to mind as well, which include tricking friends and family to create chaos.

I do hope that twins and parents of twins see that using iPhones to pretend to be your brother or sister is an affront to your individuality and self-respect. Twins who are proud of themselves and want to be themselves will have an easier time in life. Being a twin is a challenge, not a comedic routine.