Thursday, November 16, 2006

The doors slide open

Yesterday I split in two.

Effectively, I turned right and left at the same time, and, rather than tripping myself up as I usually do when I attempt two directions simultaneously, I split.

Usually when I split and occupy several different realities at once, I don't know about it. No one has come up to me yet and said, hey Jenn I saw you at such and such, when really, I was at home, curled up in front of the tv, cradling a bowl of ice cream (because ice cream is milk and milk is healthy, and sometimes I have lettuce with it so there!) and watching The Waltons. Or M*A*S*H*. Or Shakespeare in Love. Or Stage Beauty. Or Tuesdays with Morrie.

No. They nod and smile crookedly, as if they're not sure about something and then they look away. (You get used to people looking away after a while and it doesn't bother you anymore. Much).

But today, today, I found out that I did something I didn't do. And it could have only been me. It couldn't have been that evil twin who pretends to be me, when I'm not looking. Only, I put on weight and cut my hair and adopted scruffy looking fake Birkenstocks and a crumpled kurta. She's into coiffed hair and business suits, so you see the problem. We no longer look alike (OK, I am sticking my tongue out at you evil twin, nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah)

Jackie says I wrote a post yesterday. But I didn't. Really! I wasn't even at home yesterday until long past midnight. I went to a variety of places, arriving five to 10 minutes too late at each, and finally had tea at the mamak near the old office with Addy and then swung by to see if Mary Zack was back. She was. We hung out. Hence the late homecoming.

This intrigues me. It would send me into a meditation on quantum physics and the endless different worlds we occupy.

Everytime we turn a corner. Split. Split. Split.

Hey Jenn, still at the newspaper. Do you smoke now?

Hey Jenn, who stayed in Australia...how is Charles?

Hey Jenn who actually wrote a book: Did they publish it?

Hey Jenn who stayed about four: How are Amechi and Daddy? Is Malaysia still sultry and hazeless and full of nice people?

Next time I bump into one of you, in your endless variations, I'll wave and smile.

Wave back.

And then we'll split again.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Firstly: with Blogger, anything is possible, even phantom posts.

Secondly: Have you ever seen the movie 'Sliding Doors'? If not, you definitely need to.

Jenn said...

Curiouser and curiouser.

I caught bits of it.

Hence the title.

Anonymous said...

who knows? i suffer the same affliction. maybe we are off having coffee together right now.

Susanna said...

It's an interesting thought to ponder. Would make a great short story. Hey Jenn, you ought to write it!

Anonymous said...

Be careful you don't end up splinched.

I often feel like I am outside myself looking at me. It's a very bizarre feeling, sort of dream-like.

Anonymous said...

Oh, Jenn, is that you? Or is it you, Jenn?

I'm laughing so hard!

I could swear I was reading on YOUR blog - it SOUNDED like you! Damn, if it wasn't you, I was reading A STRANGER'S blog - and you know what that means - I'm losing it!!

Oh well, I guess it was bound to happen, I am after all, 57 years old. And there was that period where I killed a lot of brain cells with alcohol. What can I say?

I'm sorry to have tried to confuse you, as well!!!

Charlene Amsden said...

Sliding Doors -- I came into the movie in the middle and thought I was lsoing my mind -- then made a point of watching it beginning to end. I see why ptb linked it to this post.

Btw -- did we ever find out why ptb blocked me from his blog? I like to know why people break up with me. Whatever I did, it wasn't deliberate.

Anonymous said...

...and I thought I had chatted with you online...but maybe you weren't there...maybe you were...now I'm confused

Jenn said...

Cindra: So it was you then...

A thinker: You have given me an idea. Speculative fiction. This bears thinking out...

Nessa: Splinched? Oh you Harry Potter fan, you!

Jackie: Thank you! You gave birth to this entire post on alternative realities. If I write one tonight it will be about rolfing. However, as I'm feeling lazy, I dunno.

Quilly: Yeah, it's a movie you have to watch all through. Otherwise you keep turning to the other person who was watching from the beginning and asking: Hey, what is happening ah? Why her hair two colours one?

Praby Waby: We chatted? This is news to me. Must have been my evil twin. Or alternate self...*evil cackle*

Word verification: Beer fur u!

Anonymous said...

I'm getting 'cited. New movie next July.

Jenn said...

I dunno...you know, don't really want to see what happens at the end.

The Elves are leaving. The world will go on and forget them. And soon, there will be no magic left except in legend. Fairy tales.

Anonymous said...

Hey Jenn, that was so 'Adey Appu, is this the end of your solo career'
We should bill petronas.

Jenn said...

Yo Smackie! Finally! I see you here!

I wish I could put up Adey Appular. That was so good.