"we'll go dancing, set fires"

I was 18 and not nearly as sure of myself as I wanted to be. I had left home for academia and was seriously rethinking the wisdom of sprouting wings. Who were all these people? And how did I just know instinctively that they were all so much smarter than me? And not nearly as much fun.

It was my med school orientation and with the exception of my mother sitting next to me, I didn't know a soul.

We were assigned "docent" groups and I introduced myself to the 10 or so other newbies that would later be a big part of my freshman year of college. Orientation progressed in that mind numbing way that orientations tend to progress and a few somewhat confusing comments started to come my way. People kept looking at me doubtfully when I introduced myself as Amy. Amy? They'd ask in an annoyingly repetitive way. Yes, Amy. And questions like, Do you have a brother? Not siblings, but specifically a brother. No, I'd say a little awkwardly, do you? These very strange interactions did nothing to put me at ease in this new environment.

When we were encouraged to mingle a little later, the strangeness intensified. Oh! I was told. I just met your twin! What to say? It seemed kind of early to be calling people crazy, although they most certainly were. I knew without a doubt that my sister was back home in the 'Burg. Pretty sure I just starred blankly at the first several people who made this comment. Finally, one of these "crazies" gestured towards a group of people clustered nearby while making their observation. And it was here that I met for the very first time my long lost twin (or, I guess, triplet?) brother. It was here that I first met Tod Haller.

Tod and I would later go through our UMKC years receiving each others test results and various pieces of paperwork. Just like on that first day, I'd run into people who insisted that my name was "Tod" no matter how adamant I was that it was actually Amy. I'd get his mail in the dorm and I'm sure he got mine. We were alternately thought to be siblings or, in later years, spouses. On one very memorable day in the cafeteria I was accused of being untrue to my Orthodox Jewish heritage because I had lowered myself to asking for a couple pieces of bacon to accompany my morning eggs. My accuser could not be convinced, despite significant effort, of my belief in Jesus Christ.

Tod and I were to become great friends. We studied together. We bitched to each other about various injustices. And we may have even shared a drink or two . . . :) Our lives have gone separate ways over the last several years. Tod's back on the East coast, married and a father of 3. And I, of course, am happily single here in Texas. But this past weekend, those separate lives once again connected with a too brief visit. And it was as though we never parted ways. It's like we were once again back in KC: drinking, dancing, and having a helluva good time!

So today's blogging soundtrack (see below) is in honor of Tod - my long lost, but now found, brother - and our 12 years of friendship.