Shame that everyone's the same...
I swore I had written about this in the past, but I have trouble coming up with the keywords when I try to search for old posts, so I'm going to assume I haven't mentioned this and start this post under that assumption.
My wife has a cousin named Lauren. They've always been really close despite the more than 10 years of difference in age.
A couple months ago while we were working out at the gym, we both looked over at one of the treadmills and saw her... Lauren... only it wasn't Lauren... it was someone who looked EXACTLY like Lauren.
When I say "exactly like," I mean just that. Same height, same build, same facial structure, same hair color, same hair cut, same look on the face. Katie was almost tempted to go up to her and ask and make sure it wasn't her. And it wasn't just a fluke that she happened to look like Lauren on that particular day, we've seen her several times since then and it never ceases to floor us how doppelgangerish the similarities are. Katie was also almost tempted to take a picture of her using her iPhone (yes, phones aren't supposed to be used in the gym, but when it's also her iPod, she doesn't have a choice) and send it to her cousin to freak her out a bit.
I've taken to calling her "Clone Cousin."
We still haven't spoken to her, but I'm sure she's felt our eyes watching her in amazement.
Last night, though, we were leaving the gym and the attendants leave the IDs out on the counter so, in case they're away from the desk, people who didn't have a locker can just grab their card and go. Great primer toward identity theft, I'm sure. Anyway, the Clone Cousin's ID was out on the counter and guess what? Her name is Lauren, too.
C'mon. Seriously, what are the odds of that? This is just getting creepier and creepier.
Singularly the greatest marketing idea ever... Trojan2Go... two condoms in a card-sized sealed case that fits in your wallet like a credit card. A little thicker, of course, but still and all the same. I saw these at the register at a Walgreen's last night. Brilliant.
With all the movies and TV shows featuring guys carrying condoms in their wallets that have aged to brittleness from lack of use, I'm shocked that this sort of thing wasn't developed sooner.
I would take a picture of Sis into the gym one night and introduce yourself. Explain why you have looked at her and show her the photo. Then ask if you can take her picture to show your sis! She may think it's funny/creepy too.
Posted by: metalmom | Tuesday, 28 April 2009 at 12:24 PM
or maybe it IS Lauren,,, and she can't figure out if its you guys???? maybe she has poor eye sight... maybe she sees you guys staring at her and she feels awkward... or perhaps it is Lauren from another world... OR perhaps you guys staring at her really creeps her out and she is reporting you to the authorities as you read this......
Posted by: Pooba~ | Tuesday, 28 April 2009 at 12:35 PM
Maybe it is her, maybe she is leading a secret fitness life.
Posted by: Robin | Tuesday, 28 April 2009 at 12:50 PM
i'd have to agree with robin ... "Lauren" (if that's her real name) is probably in witness protection or something and has been barred from communicating with you. how weird!
when i was in st. louis for a month doing a sub-internship, there was a nurse in the OR that looked exactly like my cousin's new wife - except they were in maine. i kept doing triple-takes at her doppleganger (it IS really hard not to stare!) and finally asked her if she had any relatives in maine. then a couple of days later i saw her without her mask on - image blown. i guess it was just the eyes.
you should really clear up if this "photo op" is to be in a common area or more covertly taken... :-P
leaving IDs out - that is a bit worry-provoking. especially nowadays when it takes just a few seconds to snap a high-res pic vs. outright stealing it.
Posted by: Eric | Tuesday, 28 April 2009 at 01:22 PM
Wow that's some clever marketing with the condoms. I'm impressed!
It's really weird that she looks like Katie's cousin AND has the same name. You MUST talk to her.
Posted by: sizzle | Tuesday, 28 April 2009 at 02:52 PM
How would one go about bringing that up to a total stranger? ;-)
Posted by: kapgar | Tuesday, 28 April 2009 at 05:01 PM
Alternate Universe Lauren? Nice!
Posted by: kapgar | Tuesday, 28 April 2009 at 05:02 PM
Well, her athletic ambitions are no secret. She's a women's varsity soccer
starter as a freshman at her college.
Posted by: kapgar | Tuesday, 28 April 2009 at 05:02 PM
And that is why my gym ID has a picture of Dr. Bunsen Honeydew on it! (no,
seriously, it does)
Posted by: kapgar | Tuesday, 28 April 2009 at 05:03 PM
That's an odd topic to broach, though. Don't you think?
Posted by: kapgar | Tuesday, 28 April 2009 at 05:03 PM
That really IS creepy!!!
Take her picture, anyway. Then if she asks you why, you can explain to her.
That really gives me the heebie jeebies.
Posted by: Sybil Law | Tuesday, 28 April 2009 at 05:40 PM
Oh boy... really running out of reasons why I've "forgotten" mine.
Posted by: Greg | Tuesday, 28 April 2009 at 06:29 PM
Maybe Lauren was in a car accident that left her physically intact, but with amnesia. She remembered her first name but nothing else ... so the kind doctors (who all look a little like George Clooney) gave her a last name and she is faithfully working out 4x a week because she has nowhere to go. Your wife looks vaguely familiar to her, too, but she is afraid to approach you guys because, honestly, who's gonna believe her??
Posted by: Capricorn Cringe | Tuesday, 28 April 2009 at 06:45 PM
Dude, you have to tell her! Bring a pic of your cousin!
Posted by: lizriz | Tuesday, 28 April 2009 at 07:24 PM
I know everyone is supposed to have a twin, but I always assumed that twin
would be halfway around the world or something.
Posted by: kapgar | Tuesday, 28 April 2009 at 07:50 PM
And it comes with two... double your pleasure, double your fun.
Posted by: kapgar | Tuesday, 28 April 2009 at 07:51 PM
Is this your subtle way of saying "hook me up with her doctor(s)"? ;-)
Posted by: kapgar | Tuesday, 28 April 2009 at 07:54 PM
That just seems so creepy to me.
Posted by: kapgar | Tuesday, 28 April 2009 at 07:55 PM
Very creepy... (and I'm not talkin' about the condoms). I live in Iowa and one of my hubs' Navy buddies from Oregon came to visit and SWEARS there is my twin living in his hometown. She has my mannerisms and everything. He says he's going to get her picture sometime and send it.
Still? The same name? That's REALLY odd.
Posted by: sue | Wednesday, 29 April 2009 at 01:52 PM
I wonder where my twin is and what he's doing.
Posted by: kapgar | Thursday, 30 April 2009 at 06:16 AM
Yeah, that's definitely very creepy. I say Katie takes a picture of her with her iphone and show it to her cousin!
Posted by: Marie | Thursday, 30 April 2009 at 10:35 AM
I get the feeling police might be called in on that one. "Officer, that
creepy person is taking photos of me without my permission!!"
Posted by: kapgar | Thursday, 30 April 2009 at 11:20 AM
I get the "you look like someone I know" comment all the time. She might not be annoyed if you said anything to her, esp. if you have a picture of the cousin Lauren so she can see the comparison. I've always wanted to see pics to see if there really is a similarity.
Posted by: Becky | Saturday, 02 May 2009 at 10:39 AM
I think I may just do it. I'm trying to find a good picture of Lauren (our
Lauren) now. May have to steal it from her college's Web site. I've got
nothing of her within the last couple years.
Posted by: kapgar | Sunday, 03 May 2009 at 09:13 AM
Cue Twilight Zone or Outer Limits music. That's just odd.
But the thing that's not odd are those credit card Trojan2Go packs. Should have been out years ago.
Posted by: martymankins | Tuesday, 05 May 2009 at 01:36 PM
I must check out the Outer Limits.
Posted by: kapgar | Tuesday, 05 May 2009 at 04:04 PM