Not a Triplet · 8 August 2015
Brothers and Dad
I am not a triplet. But I have been part of some stories where that would be a logical explanation. One of those stories gets better with each telling.
I have two younger brothers and while there are certainly family resemblances, we do not look alike. However, I do remember one time when we were younger and walked into a store and a young lady asked if we were triplets. We are all the same height, and back then, we might have been about the same weight as each other as well. Still, we looked at each other and laughed and thanked the lady for comparing us favorably to our more handsome brother. (That would be our youngest brother, Scott.)
While most of our family was together recently, Scott’s wife, Mary Ann, told the story of a different time when family resemblance was not so favorable, but nonetheless entertaining.
The story happened quite a while ago since Scott and Mary Ann’s son was about two years old at the time and some of my friends were not able to recognize me from afar. Scott and Mary Ann were out in our neck of the woods at a local farm and amusement facility. Their small family was together enjoying the day.
When they came to one booth, they were met by two women working there who did not mistreat them, but were certainly not friendly toward them. In fact, these two women did not even approach my brother and sister-in-law, but stayed away from them. It was apparent to Mary Ann that they were giving her the stink eye.
Now, if you have ever been given the stink eye, you know that it is not a comfortable feeling. It is more than staring, but less than the evil eye. You know that somebody is thinking bad thoughts about you, but you do not know exactly why. That was what my sister-in-law was thinking. She was wondering what could be wrong.
That was when another friend of mine, Kory, showed up. He talked to the two women and wondered what in the world was wrong with them. Then, he looked too. But he did not give my brother’s family the stink eye. He was just confused. He did not know what to think of what he was seeing.
Having heard the story from both sides, I need to switch perspectives and go back in time a little.
My friends, Laura and Jenean (who are sisters, but not twins or triplets) were shocked when they saw who they thought was me with another woman. They mistook my brother for me (apparently, they did not know I was a triplet). So seeing me with another woman was why they were giving my brother and his wife the stink eye. They could not believe that I would be with another woman. With a kid! Especially, in a place where everybody knows me. They were incensed. How could he do that to The Mindboggling Mrs. Miyoshi and their kids!
Kory
That was when Kory showed up. He looked over and saw the same thing. Me with another woman. But Kory was confused rather than angry. He saw something that did not compute. So instead of hanging me in effigy in his mind, he sought out another explanation.
To be fair to Laura and Jenean, they did not know me as well as Kory. Their kids played football for me and we had talked enough to be acquaintances, but we had only really known each other for a few years at the time. During that same time, Kory and I had coached together and gotten to know each other well. Which was why he could not reconcile what he was seeing with what he knew in his heart and mind.
So he got a closer look. Literally.
That is where the stories merge into one. As Kory approached Scott and Mary Ann, his questioning look turned into a big smile. He saw that it was not me. He introduced himself and called over the sisters. Apologies and greetings were given and received. They all had a good laugh when the misidentification was uncovered and the true story was revealed. Which I am happy to say happened before they could give me the stink eye.
While it seems that these kinds of misinterpretations of what happened are commonplace in movies and provide great comedy even in real life, they do not always end up so happily. After all, life is not like the movies and misinformation or misidentification can lead to hard feelings for a long time if things are not cleared up right away. Which is why whenever this story is told, I am thankful for good friends. Friends who will look at the situation and find the truth instead of just believing their eyes.
Not Triplets
I may not really look enough like my brothers to be mistaken for twins or triplets very often, but I still take it as a compliment when somebody says I look like one of my handsome brothers. Still, whenever we talk about siblings looking alike (especially, Scott and me), the story of me with another family comes up. And like a good fish story, it gets better with each telling.
© 2015 Michael T. Miyoshi
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