A young woman took a walk to the edge of town. A part of town she had never journeyed to before, despite the fact that she had lived there her whole life. Most people in town stayed right where they were and few had an interest in exploring. But not her, she wanted to see more. She wanted to see where the town ended.
She walked and walked, through winding streets, until she came to a bridge that stretched across a gently flowing river.
“Maybe I should cross that bridge,” she thought to herself daringly.
She had heard of this bridge but not of anyone who had ever crossed it. She would be the first, a pioneer! Nervousness creeped up on her as one foot would pass the other towards what she considered the final frontier. Then, a third of the way across she saw another person heading towards her. A young woman, decently dressed with garden variety good looks not much unlike her own. They met in the middle, stood still, and looked each other up and down. Why, they weren’t just similar in looks, they were exact in their looks. A bona fide carbon copy of one another.
“Hello.” One said.
“Hello.” The other replied. Either not taking their eyes off the other.
“My name is Mel.” Mel said.
“Well my name is Lem.” Lem said.
“Hmmmmmm,” they hummed simultaneously.
“I come from the town of Dart,” said Mel, pointing behind her.
“Well I come from the town of Trad,” said Lem, also pointing behind her.
“Hmmmmmm,” they hummed simultaneously.
Mel, looking past Lem towards the town of Trad on the other side of the bridge, noticed it was very familiar looking. Lem, doing the same, thought the town of Dart looked very familiar.
“Looks a lot like my town...only backwards.” Mel stated.
“Looks a lot like MY town... only backwards.” Lem stated.
“If they’re the same town, only backwards, which one came first.” They said simultaneously.
“Mine has been here for at least as long as I have been alive.” Mel said.
“Well mine has been here for at least as long as I have been alive.” Lem added.
“Hmmmmmm,” they hummed simultaneously.
“I should like to know what life is like in the town of Trad.” Stated Mel.
“And I should like to know what life is like in the town of Dart.” Stated Lem.
“Shall we switch?” Mel asked.
“I believe we shall.” Lem answered.
The two young women each stuck a hand out and shook. Then, while still holding hands, they turned to stand where the other had just been. They let go and nodded to one another.
“Good luck.” They said simultaneously.
And with that, Mel and Lem each turned to start their new life on the flip side.