If I had a dollar for every time someone said to me, “Ah, I always wanted to have twins!“, I might be able to afford mine. Buy One, Get One Free….if only that were true. Double the kids, double the cash, I always say. The only exception to this rule was the insurance co-pay for their birth. 1 mom = 1 co-pay. We got our pair for the low, low price of $10.

Now I’ll admit. Twins carry with them a great deal of fascination in our culture and around the world. I call this The Freak Factor. (I’m allowed to do that. See, I’m a Freak myself.) Surprised? Yes, it’s true. I have a twin myself. I’m a twin…and I have twins. We could call that Freak Factor, Squared. There are some important differences, however. My sister Carey and I are fraternal twins. We each had our own uterine apartments (aka sacks). Daniel and Trevor are identical twins. That means they’ve been getting in each other’s business since conception.
Identical Twins are a random biological occurrence around the world. Only 8% of twins are identical twins. No one knows why the egg splits. (And no, they don’t skip a generation or come because your husband’s uncle had a twin.) Because they are the result of a fertilized egg that splits, they have a lot in common. They share fingerprints. They share DNA. They share….well, that’s about it. Once they’re in the world, they don’t care to share. At least mine don’t.

By the time I was a teenager, I found it difficult to be a twin. Think about it. When you’re a teenager, you crave your own unique identity. It’s an age when you barely want to acknowledge that you come from a family, never mind in matched sets. Most teens would prefer their peers think they were reared by wolves. “No, Mom, you don’t need to come to the recital, geez, leave me alone.” This is especially true of teenaged boys who wish they were raised like Tarzan and didn’t have a mom to bug them to shower and change their clothes.

When you have a sibling in your school, well, that can be like the 7th layer of hell for most teens. Put that sibling in some of your classes and you’ve got the recipe for miserable. Then, to make it really, really bad, make sure you look just like the other kid. Similar enough so that all day, every day, teachers, staff and your best friends say, “Which one are you?” Feel like running away from home yet? Yup, it’s hard. I sympathize with my guys. I could tell you an annoying twin story or two. Here’s one.

My sister and I used to argue on school mornings about our outfits. She would get up early and dress. I would get up right before it was time to leave the house. Sometimes our outfits would be the same. She would not be seen in public looking anything like me. Wars would ensue over who had to go change their clothes. The one who put on the sweater first? Or the one who put it on last?

One memorable morning, our War of the Argyles was unresolved as we entered the hallowed halls of our preppy New England high school. Seeing Carey between classes, I took advantage of the opportunity to give her a swift kick. Unfortunately, the principal bore witness to this ladylike scene. He called me over for a reprimand, which I interrupted with this explanation, “It’s okay, she’s my twin.” Oddly, he didn’t think it was okay. (Clearly he was what we call a Singleton.)
That’s what it’s like to be a twin in high school. And remember, we don’t even look alike. Now take Danny and Trevor Byrd. They look alike. They have the added challenge of going to a small school. And, did I mention, they look alike?

They look so alike that they are constantly seeking ways to differentiate themselves. They have changed their hair style and color more often than Britney Spears on a bender. I am sympathetic. Having your very own facial features is something most of the world takes for granted. They are singletons at heart, yet stuck with a twin brother. Oh, how they’d like to break free!

In suggesting I write about them this month, Danny wanted to make sure I mentioned that they are single. Well, they are double, but available. See what I mean? It’s confusing as all get out.


Bio
Martie and Dave Byrd have 5 beautiful children and come to think of it, they all look alike. Martie is a freelance writer and motivational speaker. Read more at www.martiebyrd.com.