| "Twisted Minds," continued |
| "So," Robert said softly, trying to disguise his voice with his best British accent, "how would you like to start?" "You're the one with all the power," Nancy replied softly. "Yes, I am." Robert continued, "and I want you to tell me why you are the woman for me." "Well, I suppose because I can understand you. I understand your loneliness, your need for control, and your unrealistic view of romance. I too expect complete love and complete control, but can feel deep and seemingly infinite loneliness while also needing solitude. I know no one can be 'perfect,' but compare any man to my positive animus figure of my dreams just as you compare any woman to the positive anima figure of yours." Robert audibly gasped and struggled to recover his composure. "Is that all?," he finally asked with shaky resolve and an even shakier British accent. "No, we also share not just the fear of total loss of control that comes with being in love, but also the ultimate disappointment that comes with finding that no one can fulfill all our needs. We both want to know love and, in so doing, better know ourselves, but we have no idea how to reach such intimacy. Your way is to physically take control of your lover-to-be and mine is to psychologically take control. Neither is truly condusive to intimacy, but neither of us know how to do anything else. However, both of us feel that we may be able to try with each other. So, now that I've answered your question, may I ask a question of you?" Robert's stomach felt as though a thousand quivering jellyfish were rising to the surface, but he regained his composure long enough to blurt out a totally American, "I guess." Nancy smirked, looked straight into his eyes, and asked, "Why are you the man for me?" After a long silence, Robert gathered his thoughts and answered as best he could. "Because I have come to realize that you come as close as possible to my view of what a woman should be. You are both tough and sensitive, smart and child-like, trusting and cynical, but mostly true to yourself while searching for more. Mostly though, it is though you looked into my heart and mind to say everything you just said, but also when we met at Julie's party." With that, Robert removed the mask, fearfully glancing up into Nancy's eyes. As he finally met her eyes, she smiled--another smart ass smirk--and he realized that he knew it was him all along. "Robert, I knew it was you the moment I looked into your eyes. Regardless, this is the kind of story we should NEVER tell our kids and grandkids. I mean, we're both obviously of very twisted minds, but let's not encourage them to be quite so messed-up. Of course, we might just find they'll just be 'naturally' nuts!" With that, Robert untied Nancy and they both went down to the car, laughing with the joy of finding their "soulmates" and fellow "twisted mind." Just a few short months later, they were married and "Romeo"--the real one--was caught. So far Robert and Nancy have two kids and they're working on the third. But don't get any ideas about tracking them down. They made me promise to change their names and a few unimportant details (where they lived, etc.). And besides, now they live in Scotland, near a fairly famous lake... |