| Sometimes, the preconceived notions people | | | | Internet. Eventually, we each made our |
| have in their heads about twins really get me | | | | choices. |
| steaming. Just because I shared a dark | | | | |
| cramped space with some random embryo for | | | | As luck would have it, Jessica's visit |
| nine months does not automatically mean that | | | | coincided with the "Whole Enchilada Fiesta," |
| I wish to go on living on top of her for the | | | | a world-famous (note above-mentioned injured |
| rest of my days. No, Jessica and Robyn | | | | tongue firmly in cheek), three-day |
| (that's me), don't get along so well. Yes, | | | | celebration of southwest traditions, people |
| we're frighteningly identical in appearance, | | | | and great food. Being a chef, Jessica thought |
| but there's very little we agree on other | | | | it might be interesting to witness the making |
| than that it's best for us live on opposite | | | | of what the Guinness Book of World Records |
| ends of the country. | | | | considers to be the largest enchilada on |
| | | | planet earth. I had never attended the event |
| For the most part, we've managed to keep our | | | | before, and I have to admit, I was somewhat |
| lives pretty separate - Jessica is a chef in | | | | intrigued. |
| Montpellier, Vermont and I'm a professor at | | | | |
| New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, | | | | I parked the controversial Pontiac G6 and we |
| New Mexico. Every now and then however, we | | | | made our way through the crowd to watch the |
| succumb to this bizarre call of our mutual | | | | action. What can I say - 250 lb. of masa |
| genes and schedule a | | | | dough, 100 lb. of corn, 50 gallons of |
| let's-try-this-one-more-time get together. To | | | | vegetable oil, 12 lb. of grated cheese, 10 |
| keep things verging on fair, we alternate | | | | lb. of chopped onions, a tow truck, and 14 |
| between the Southwest and the Northeast. | | | | sweaty men do make for a spectacle. At one |
| | | | point, Jessica and I exchanged looks and fell |
| I pulled up proudly curbside at Las Cruces | | | | about in an uncontrollable fit of laughter |
| International Airport (yes to all you | | | | that seemed to dissolve years of open |
| naysayers, our little town does indeed | | | | hostilities. |
| feature one of these), in my brand new | | | | |
| Pontiac G6 convertible. And that's when the | | | | Next it was my turn. Back in the G6 and a |
| bickering began. Jessica disapproved of me | | | | short drive to El Paso with our hair in the |
| driving around the Southwest with my hair | | | | wind and reconciliation in our souls. |
| flailing about - she actually referred to it | | | | Destination? El Paso Zoo for an afternoon |
| as promiscuous - and she was put out that if | | | | with the elephants. Ever since I saw the |
| she had brought her husband and three kids, | | | | "Jungle Book" when I was a tot, I've been |
| we would have had a space issue. Naturally I | | | | totally elephant obsessed. I have a |
| apologized profusely and promised to purchase | | | | collection of elephantalia that approaches |
| a Pontiac Torrent for her next visit. Things | | | | the ridiculous. Anyway, we arrived at El Paso |
| were going swimmingly. | | | | Zoo in fabulous spirit and proceeded to have |
| | | | a whale of an afternoon (if you'll excuse the |
| After releasing my self-mutilated tongue from | | | | expression), eating popcorn and worshipping |
| between my clenched teeth, I suggested a new | | | | elephants. |
| approach. Why not call a ceasefire and each | | | | |
| choose an activity of personal interest that | | | | By the time we returned from El Paso to my |
| might serve to educate each other as to what | | | | little house in Las Cruces, we were getting |
| makes us tick. This of course led to a bit of | | | | on like a house on fire. We spent the evening |
| a scrap over the virtues of my iPhone versus | | | | drinking Margarita's (invented in El Paso I |
| her BlackBerry as we scrambled to research | | | | might add), and making outrageously raucous |
| the possibilities for the day via the | | | | toasts to enchiladas and elephants. |