My Brother From Another Mother?

Pat and me - downtown Toronto August 2014

A funny thing happened on my way to the forum when I began to hang around with my new Canadian friend Pat. More than once strangers have stopped us in the street and asked "Are you two brothers?"  

The first time it happened was two years ago in downtown Lewes, as we were exiting Nectar, the juice bar in Lewes. If I remember correctly, Pat was talking to another customer who was former Canadian now naturalized American citizen.  During the conversation he took a look at us and our larger than normal proboscises and asked "Are you two brothers?"  At first I was a little confused because I had never considered the notion that we were similar in appearance but found it interesting that a complete stranger would mistake us for brothers. Then actually I was a bit flattered because I do consider Pat a very attractive man and hey, by reflection then I must be attractive?  Right?  But I have to watch myself here, don't want to be considered too narcissistic (even though I am but that's supposed to be a secret). 

When we were in Philadelphia last year this time, as we were ascending the elevator to our room at the Latham Hotel, a stranger in the elevator asked us if we were brothers.  They said "You both look so alike."  Well, I know we think alike.  In fact so much, it's almost uncanny.  We both get along very well, almost too well.  Again, uncanny.  Pat sometimes knows what I'm thinking before I realize it myself.  Scary. Again, we were both flattered that a stranger had mistaken us for brothers.

Me and Pat at Rehoboth Beach last year - his glasses are bigger than mine

The latest "sighting" came in Pat's neighborhood in Toronto as we were headed out for dinner during my August visit to his home. We stopped to talk to one of Pat's neighbors and she asked if we were brothers!  There we go again.  So there must be something to it. 

I've joked with Pat that our DNA is probably split from the same amoeba.  

Just for the record here I am with my real brothers.  And by the way, we are three brothers who could not be more different in both appearance and personality.

Me and my real brothers - 2005

In January Pat and I will meet in Los Angeles to celebrate our mutual birthdays (mine was in November, Pat's is in December).  We won't be surprised this time if, while we're walking down Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood that some faded movie star walks by us, stops and turns around and says "Pardon me, are you two brothers?"