The Realization of Self-Reliance

Things have been blurry for The Under Twin ever since he split from his sister. For their entire lives, The Twins have always been considered "mistakes" because they were double-yolked at birth, so being separated from his twin made him feel even more isolated and scrambled. When you live your entire life as a pair, in the face of odds, it's not easy feeling whole when you're alone.

What does it feel like to transcend separation? Have you ever wanted to see solitude from a higher place? The Under Twin wanted to understand self-reliance so he visited a magical white house in Concord.

The magical white house once belonged to a great poet named Ralph. He believed magic existed between people and nature. As The Under Twin poked around the yard, he remembered Algernon teaching him how to listen to the wind of his soul. So he did. In a very quiet, whipsery kind of way, this is what he heard...

Your isolation must not be mechanical, but spiritual, that is, must be elevation. At times the whole world seems to be in conspiracy to importune you with empathetic trifles… But keep thy state; come not into their confusion.

The secret of fortune is joy in our hands.

Insist on yourself. Never imitate.

Your goodness must have some edge to it - else it is none.

Prayer is the contemplation of the facts of life from the highest point of view. It is the soliloquy of a beholding and jubilant soul.

Power… resides in the moment of transition from a past to a new state… This one fact the world hates, that the soul becomes.

Jumping off Ralph's chimney, into the wind, felt like a rush because The Under Twin had come to realize a few things about himself while visiting the magical white house: he knew he was going to find his sister and apologize; he knew he wasn't a mistake just because he was born double-yolked; he knew he was going to avoid the hobgoblin of little minds; he knew he was going to live in the swift, summary way of boys... who are sure of a dinner.

--

All italicized references from this post are direct quotes from the timeless classic essay, Self-Reliance. Read it.

Little Women's Little Woman

Somethings you never expect to happen: salt ditching pepper for cumin or macaroni going stag for a night on the town while cheese molds away in heartbreak. So when The Twins' sibling rivalry blew up into an unusual heated argument, The Under Twin took off and the day turned gray. They have never been apart, so The Upper Twin was completely full of woe. The girls brainstormed and came up with something to cheer up their Upper Twin:

a visit to Louisa May Alcott's home to be Little Women!

Did you know the book was written and set in the Alcott's home? Did you know the Alcott's named their home Orchard House? Have you ever been so excited about something that you've had an accident? That's okay. Accidents happen.

Sophia always imagined herself as Margaret "Meg" March—the oldest, the most beautiful and governess-employed sister. Spending time in front of the mirror/window seemed something very Meg AND very Elizabeth Taylor.

The artistic, youngest and "regular snow-maiden" Amy was Yvette's muse. Sometimes spoiled and somewhat vain, Yvette could sympathize with Amy's disposition and her choice in men. "The last IS the best of all the gang—she gets Laurie!" Yvette shouted, imagining jumping from the roof into Laurie's arms (the Christian Bale version of Laurie, of course).

Penny liked Josephine because "Jo" was like the author, Louisa. As Penny raced up the roof to do her beak-stand, she quoted Louisa: "No boy could be my friend till I had beaten him in a race and no girl if she refused to climb trees, leap fences..."

The Upper Twin connected with the scarlet fever stricken Elizabeth "Beth" March. Being apart from her twin felt like a dark shadow was looming over her. She felt very little, very small and wondered if she would ever be considered beautiful and not just cute.

When they met up, The Upper Twin told the others that she was going to do the "bigger" thing and be the first to apologize to her sibling. After all, it was her brother that always carried her on his back and it was her brother who always made her feel taller than she really was.

The Twins & Olaf's

With Spring springing, The Twins have been talking about new duds. They are the first to admit they aren't Scott Schumann (aka The Sartorialist), but since they see twice as much as the rest of us, they have a good knack of finding the quizzical and the curious. That's how they spotted Olaf's Men's Vintage.

Entering the front door, they immediately spotted the typewriter. "It isn't a Sholes & Glidden," said the first, "And it ain't no MacBook Air, either," said the second. "They just don't make them like they used to," they said in unison.

One of The Twins spotted a nice pair of wingtips, ideal for weekend trips to the shore. Suddenly, a voice from above asked, "Are you poaching my Brogues?" The Twins blinked, unsure of what to say. "I'm kidding. Their yours. I have 3 pairs. And hello. My name is Edward. Edward Ian Script. Shall I show you around?"

The under-Twin hefted the other birds up to the upper-body rack. "They've got everything," chimed Edward, "but if you're in Brooklyn, you wear plaid. I prefer Pendleton to Penguin."


Next, Edward pulled them over to view his favorite antique in the store: a rotary phone. As he nestled up to it and waxed eloquent, The Twins faded from the history lesson because they spotted a relic Rolling Stones sticker. This quickly initiated a debate between who was better: The Rolling Stones or Queen.

They tried helping Edward find some "seasonal appropriate" boots. 

The Twins found more collectibles: pewter steins, burlap sacks, coin-collecting books, and even a pair of antlers mounted on crushed red velvet.




Ever the gentlemen, Edward took some time with the Lampshade Ladies discussing the Victorians' effect on modern-day sports. "Without the Victorians, we'd all be a bag of bones." Immediately, the ladies' eyes narrowed and they asked if he'd like to volunteer to join their badminton game: "We've lost our birdy." Edward bowed just in time to dodge the racquet. 

Trying to see the bright side of his NDE and knowing his love for the game, The Twins suggested Edward consider donating his feathers to shuttlecock-science. An awkward silence followed.

"Or how about Tennis? What's more American than tennis?" The Twins asked. "Well, for starters: corn flakes, The Fourth of July, baseball, Chow mein, and Virginia Ham..." Edward melodically mumbled.



All three birds sat and stared at the Grundig Majestic. "German designers... they just don't make them like they used to," Edward whispered. The Twins readily agreed with him.







































But maybe the best treasure they found was something that hit close to home for all of them: an old typography book. The Twins had examined the typeface earlier when they were looking through the "O" at the window. Now with Olaf's logotype in front of them, Edward did some sleuthing: "From the looks of it, I'd say Engravers Shaded. I wonder where the birds are?"

The Twins looked at the antiquated clock on the wall and realized they were out of time. "You should come meet The Jolly Troop, Edward," the over-Twin suggested. "It would be my pleasure," he replied. And with that, the three flew over the heads of two french men, a beautiful lady, and a black dog into the Court Street air of Brooklyn.


Olaf's Men Vintage
453 Court Street
Brooklyn (Carroll Gardens)
(347) 457-5796
www.olafsmensvintage.blogspot.com