Reading: I just started The Ghost Stories of Edith Wharton. It seemed like a timely choice. Last October I read The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Thomas Tryon's The Other (the creepiest twin story ever).

Taking Turns

"Mama! It's my turn to sit up high! Matthew sat there last time!"

It's a phrase I've heard countless times. We're at the supermarket, and Stephen and Matthew are squabbling over who gets to sit in the seat of the cart and who has to sit in the basket.

Daily life with twins is filled with nonstop arguments about whose turn it is to do what. They argue over who will sit in the blue chair, who will open the car door, who will sit next to me when we read books, even about who gets to hold my right hand when we cross the street. They used to fight over whose turn it was to run and meet Daddy when we picked Tab up at his office. That issue was always complicated by the presence of Daniel in the car, who also clamored for a turn. I solved that problem by letting them all run out to meet Tab.

The twins expect me to be the arbiter of their quarrels. The trouble is, there are so many things they argue about, I can't remember whose turn it is to do what. Heck, I can scarcely remember to take my vitamins in the mornings; I certainly can't remember who was the last one to ring the doorbell at Daniel's school. The boys themselves are no help:

"Matthew rang it last time!"

No, Reno did!"

My sister Lori is less than a year younger than me, but except for one occasion, I don't remember arguing with her about taking turns. We were very young, and my mother was pushing us on the swings in our back yard. "Push me first!" I begged her.

"The first shall be last, and the last shall be first," quoted Mom.

Her cryptic answer so puzzled me I don't think I ever asked to be first again.

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