Irma was as bitter as she was ugly. Neither were her fault. Irma was the unfortunate second twin.
There were a lot of twins in the family; a set in every branch of the tree. Being a twin in and of itself was nothing special, but if you were the first twin, you were literally a born winner. Irma was forty-two and had never won at anything in her life, which may not say much given the remote mountain area where she lived. But her sister Raquel had been besting her from the minute they cut the umbilical cords.
Raquel was first to get a tooth, first to get breasts, first to get a man. Raquel was the first to get out of the way of the rampaging bull. Irma’s scarred face placed her perpetually in second place. Everyone thought Raquel and her husband would have to care for Irma until death.
And then the new blacksmith arrived. Things always change when a stranger comes to town. Everyone thought that the club footed stranger was the perfect fit for Irma, but by springtime the town was in need of a new blacksmith and Irma was paying for her sister’s sins.
10 min in bed 3.11.13; inspired by quote heard in Markham, ON
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