As I entered the lounge everyone was smiling. Several people saw me when I came in and gave me a greeting nod. I was already running a little late therefore I wanted to settle into my seat fast so I wouldn't have to search when the lights went down. Fridays tend to be crowded at the Beehive so seats were filling up fast. Whilst I was glancing around the room for an open seat Oscar, the nighttime manager, came over and tapped me on the shoulder. 'You've got a special seat saved by the band for tonight'� he says to me pointing towards the front where the old semi-ratty green sofa was placed.
I thanked Oscar and ran over to the couch. There was a note to place on it. 'Hey sis, enjoy the show. Don't forget we have plans afterwards! From of course, the best twin you've got.'� I sat and stretched out on the couch and waited for the light to dim and the stage to brighten.
I only had to wait about 5 minutes. The crowd clapped profusely before the guys even got out on stage. My brother, Paul, was the second guy out and he went straight to his guitar. He picked it up and slung it over his skinny arm and shoulder. He ran his long spindly fingers over a few of the strings to make sure everything was still in tune. He adjusted one of the pegs and looked up and scanned the room finally finding me sitting on the couch waiting to hear the band begin. He smiled at me, played a single chord winked and turned to the rest of the guys preparing to start the gig.
They played their first song, an original called 'City Lights.'� After the first number Paul put down his guitar on the rack. I had seen the set list and as far as I knew he was supposed to be on one of three guitars all night. He comes down and walks around the yellow table that sits in front of my couch. He grabs a few fries while slipping off his tattered sandals, then falls onto the couch next to me. I guess he could tell by my puzzled expression that I was clueless. He leans over to me and whispers 'Just wait, it's a surprise!'� softly so the attentive audience doesn't hear what's going on.
Paul leans back against the sofa and runs his hands over his almost black hair. I have to laugh at the way the blonde highlights he put in it are fading into the thick mass around them. Paul doesn't even have to ask, I tell him fairly often how funny his hairstyle has become, especially against his naturally tan skin. In a moment of self-consciousness from my laughter he pulls a colorful beanie hat out of his faded green cargo pocket and slides it over his head.
Until now I almost forgot that something was going on with the band on stage. Jamie the lead singer takes the microphone and shouts to the audience 'We've got something special tonight folks! Our favorite lead guitarist Paul is celebrating his birthday tonight. But what some of you might not know is so is his twin sister who is in the audience with us tonight. How about the lovely sibling pair stands up so everyone knows whom this goes out to!'�
Shyly, slowly I stand up. People have got to think we're the funniest looking set of twins. I'm only 5'7'� and Paul stands at a towering 6'2'�. He gives me a brotherly hug and comforts my awkwardness by telling me to just relax, and have a good time on our birthday. The rest of the guys played Happy Birthday with a jam in the middle and many people got up to dance. Of course my brother and I joined in on the festivities. After the song was over my amazing grey eyed brother ambled back over the stage, straightening his yellow thrift store t-shirt on the way. Paul picked up his guitar and asked that the rest of the show be dedicated the best twin he could've ever asked for. While we're not a perfect family and sometimes I do argue with my brother, I would have to say I have yet to meet anyone else whom I would rather call my twin. I enjoyed the rest of the show with the small group of fans and Beehive regulars and afterwards headed for a fun filled evenings at one of the bands' typical after parties with soda, movies, and video games all through the night with a special cake made by the rest of the band for Paul and I. I believe the message they had written on the cake said it best that 'If you've got a foot on the equal rungs of two ladders, you'll always have support'�.
The card just expressed how glad they were that we were all friends and we enjoyed our typical activities but with a newfound excitement because instead of just a great show to celebrate we had eighteen mostly fun filled years to look back on.

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