Showing posts with label doppelgangers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label doppelgangers. Show all posts

Friday, March 21, 2014

Craigslist Missed Connections I Wish I'd Written



For those of you unfamiliar, Missed Connections is a feature on Craigslist where people who never met or met briefly try to find each other.  Well, usually just one tries to find the other.  I don't know if anyone actually ever meets because of it.  M is Men and W is Women. The sections are: m4w, w4m, m4m, w4w.

But these are what I would have written if I'd ever used the Missed Connection section.


F Train Mystery - m4w

Friday night.  I was wearing a grey hoodie.  You had a turquoise cardigan.  That homeless guy fell asleep and his fifth of Vodka rolled out of his pocket and our eyes met and we both chuckled.  And then you picked it up and swigged it.  What's wrong with you?  Would you please email and explain? Did you have a really hard night? Are you into homeless spit? Are off the wagon? Do you not know what Hep B is? I don't understand and I'm real sicked out over here.


Smith St. and 9th - m4w

You were on the phone.  I was reading a book.  You were sassy and black.  I was nerdy and white. You said to your friend, "I'm looking for a hookup tonight.  And not Tyrell.  I'd rather %#$@^#* eat a cockroach covered in..." Then the train came.  In what?!  What would make a cockroach palatable?  Tell me!  Finish your hyperbole!


9th Grade Ghoster - m4m

Homecoming football game.  I was trying to fit in, act like I knew what sport they were playing.  I saw you from the corner of my eye.  Wearing that out-of-style Starter jacket.  Maybe you were jealous that sophomore girls were talking to me?  Maybe you saw something in me that stirred something inside of you?  Well, it stirred.  And came out of your backside.  And you bolted and those girls took one sniff and called me Zombie Butt the rest of the game. Thanks a lot, Ghoster.  We should meet up after all these years and let me kick you in your intestines.


You Shot First at My Heart - m4m

I've been sort of stalking you.  It's not a great way to start a lifelong relationship but I had to start somewhere.  When I first saw you, you were wearing these striped pants, boots and a smirk, and I thought, "Yeah. This guy is cool.  We're going to fit."  I just want to be up front.  I don't want us to be friends.  I want us to go way past that.  I want you to adopt me.  Yeah. Be my dad, Harrison Ford.  Hug me to your man bosom.


You Are Me Are You - m4m

Did you notice me?  Across the restaurant.  I was wearing a scarf, you were wearing a scarf.  My jacket was sort of communist shaped and so was yours.  Your hair was as purposefully mussed as I had purposefully mussed my own.  There's no way you missed me.  We both adjusted our glasses at the same time and then reached for our respective nachos.  I thought we saw each other then.  I thought we made eye contact.  Didn't we?  Why do you exist in this world if I exist in this world? There can't be two of me.  It was like a mirror.  A time travel conundrum.  Go back to your world, Doppelganger! I hate me for looking like you. I now doubt my own originality.  Maybe I'm the copy.  Maybe I wanted to ask you where you got your cool sweater.  Because I totally would have worn that cool sweater, too.  I wanted to ask you but I was afraid space and time would implode.  So I left myself to yourself and you/I went home to our/their wife.










Thursday, March 07, 2013

AWP BOSTON 2013 - Day 1 - Doppelgangers



For those who don't nerd out completely on books and writing, the AWP Conference is a yearly Lit conference that pulls in writers, teachers, and book nerds galore.  I think I heard 8000 people are at the conference this year.

It runs for three days and it's mostly filled with panels on topics ranging from Gender Studies to Finding an Agent to Weird Crap That Is So Specific Two People on The Planet Care About It And They Are Hosting the Panel.

But one of the most interesting and depressing things about this conference is seeing yourself.  Over and over.  Because this place is full of doppelgangers of you. (If you are a lit nerd.)  And you will run into yourself over and over.

This does two things.

1) It confirms that you are in the right place.

2) It makes you feel wholly unoriginal and that you should take up bricklaying.

Which is ridiculous because I would be beaten up in any sort of brickyard when I was instantly recognized as 'NOT A MAN'.

So here's who I saw today.  And I'm sorry I don't have pictures because that would have been extra awesome but I'm not smooth or creepy enough to take pictures of strangers.  Even if they're pretty much me in tweed.

Versions of Me I Saw:

Gay Duck Walking Me with a Scarf That I Would Kiss a Gay Me For

Serial Murderer Me

Undergrad Deja Vu Me Hardcore Leaning Into a Girl Trying To Convince Her To Makeout With Him Which is Just Real Undergrad Me

Overweight Jolly Me Who Thinks He Can Rock a Vest But Surprise, Buddy, No James Best Looks Good in Vests Ever

Me Speaking About Free Beer Like My Tongue is Dying From Lack Of

Know-It-All Me Which Already Exists, Position Filled, Doppeljerk!

Smoking Outside the Conference and Making Me Smell Like Crap Me

Gay Duck Walking Me Kissing Gay Version of Lou Diamond Phillips Finally Answering the Questions I Had About What I Looked Like Kissing LDP