I am in a small theater with a very small woman sitting on my lap, the size and weight of a doll, but she’s real. Moments earlier I had tried to slip in quietly and sink into a seat but every time I seemed to be sitting in someone else’s spot. “No, you can’t sit there… no, not there either…”  Finally, I just sit down. Everyone seems to be smiling at this joke and no one tells me to move after that.

 The woman sitting on my lap, who had been squirming around quite a bit as she chatted with her friends, is now facing forward, sitting stock-still, waiting for the show to start. Earlier she had befriended me, gruffly slapping me on the back and saying we were related, calling me sister… or cousin. I thought she must have meant it figuratively but I wasn’t certain. I decided not to ask her though, knowing that the answer would be phrased in such a way that I would be confused even further.

 The curtain is raised and two twins appear on stage. They are quite stunning with fine features like sculpted goddesses. You can feel everyone in the room holding their breath. They are the essence of beauty and charm and everyone is quite enamored of them. They are, however, in possession of only one head and one hand each. They are positioned side by side on stage, head, hand, head, hand, smiling and waving their single hands at the audience. Their hands are not attached to their heads, just off to one side, yet fully functional. They have no bodies whatsoever. I become quite fascinated thinking about what it must be like having only a head and a hand. No need to eat or deal with other bodily functions yet still able to do things with the separate but operable hand. It also seems that, as a result of this unlikely state, they are able to live much longer lives – or perhaps not even die at all! My initial feeling of curiosity and pity give way to feelings of admiration and even envy. They perform a few simple tricks, tossing objects back and forth, all while engaged in playful banter with the audience and each other.

 Later as they are getting ready to do a second performance I see them both walking up the steps to the backstage area after stepping out for a smoke. They are not dismembered at all! They have complete and quite exquisite bodies. It had just been an illusion, and a very simple one at that. They seem quite amused at my astonishment and they show me inside where there is a black cloth hanging with four holes cut in it.

I drink out of a plastic eyeball wine glass

to strike fear in the hearts of my enemies

Ok I'll admit, I have a few skeletons in my closet; but they weren't skeletons when I put them there.