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