Question: “How did you guys meet?”

Weird awkward pause with some measure of shared hilarity going on underneath. We looked at each other. What on EARTH does one say. Such an innocuous question but it was as though he had said, “How do you split the atom? What is the process?” Guys. It’s a simple question. Answer it. But we both paused, stalled, looking at each other. It’s like we share one brain. How do we even answer that and not start out with, “I was born on a cold dark day in 1857 …” HOW DID WE MEET? I mean, how much TIME have you got for us to sufficiently answer that question, where we will need to pontificate on quantum physics, Katherine Dunn, the space-time continuum, Spandau Ballet and the nature of tragedy in ancient Greece.

Speaking of ancient Greece: another funny thing in the moment was that I, through my writing, have “told” the story – which of course he lived it, but there’s something different when you read someone’s “story” of your life. It becomes narrative. I “set” it. And all of that was somehow was in his face when he looked at me. So, weirdly, when faced with that unfathomably deep and universe-shaking question (“How did you guys meet?” HOW DID YOU GUYS MEET??”) I gave him the words. At least the words to answer the question simply enough so that we all could move on with our lives. There is a reason why Mitchell calls me “the Homer of our group of friends”.
He: “Well … she was standing on the sidewalk … and I saw her and I walked up to her and said ….” He looked at me, and there was something so funny between us. Like, our whole story. Beyond words, but we were looking at each other, and there it was. I can’t put a word to it, I just know that we were identical twins in that moment.
Me: (feeling distinctly foolish in a very funny way, finishing the sentence) ” ‘Are you waiting for someone?’ ”
It was as though it was a script that we had been rehearsing. This is how it happened. We had never done that before. I think that might have been why we were on the verge of some sort of hilarious outburst.
When I finished his opening line, he burst out laughing and so did I and he hugged me with one arm, and nobody knew what was going on but us.
Everything is left between the words. As always.