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My Evil Twin

He rang the front doorbell on the east side of our house.
He said he represented Superior Automotive Service,
and had an offer I could refuse, but shouldn't. 

OK, he did not say it quite that way!

He complimented me on the Standing General of Xi'an
guarding our front door.  I was impressed that he knew,
even if our Standing General is cast in concrete,
and does not move a muscle at the sight of a burglar.

I explained that we already used Superior Automotive,
and that I did not think I would purchase their $69.95
plan to provide almost anything we could imagine or ever need
for mere hundreds on the thousand.  He was nice about it.

Today, our doorbell rang again.  This time it was the door
on the lower level of the house on the west side. 
It used to be an entry for the renter we have never had,
choosing to use the space for African Violets and spare
bedrooms and an easy way to get to the lower garage.

It was the same nice guy.
He was nonplussed.  Did a full 360
to get his bearings.  Hesitated.
Then he asked, uncertainly,
"Do you have a twin brother?"

He knew something was wrong with that,
so he fumbled, verbally:  "Or is this the back door?"

I said it was the back door. 



He went out to the street, and turned, again,
just getting it right. A corner lot, on a sidehill.
Stacked garages. A driveway from each street.
West over that way. Identical twins. Be damned!

All of this for only $69.95!

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