Cal and Bal were sitting on the ground, backs pressed together, their legs extended straight out. Their shoulders were sore, as if they were cinched together with a broad belt, the type used to constrain agitated patients.
They woke up together, turning their heads first left then right, trying to look over their shoulders.
“Cal, is this you?”
“Bal, is that you?”
They recognized that there was a certain humor in their situation and both released a tentative giggle which quickly became a doubtful laugh.
Simultaneously they exclaimed, “This is because of the puzzle!”
Cal proffered, “The one about walking around the world and coming out on the other side looking the other way.”
Bal concurred. “Yes, the one with the twist.”
Cal added. “Where one end was turned over and then fastened to the other, like a snake about to swallow its own tail.” He became aware of Bal nodding his head in agreement. Then Bal was still and remained so for several minutes.
“Bal, are you comfortable sitting on the ground like this?”
“No, are you?”
“No. So why don’t we stand?”
“You’ve practiced?”
“No, but we can try. We talked about this. Are you ready?”
“Yes, on three: One, two, three.”
And so Bal and Cal, keeping their backs in contact, pushed themselves to a squatting position and walked their feet backwards until they were standing.
They looked around.
“Nothing seems the same.”
“Yes, Bal, nothing always seems the same.”
“Shall we take a walk and explore?”
“OK, Bal, you can lead. But go slowly, I’m not used to walking backwards.”
“Cal, do you feel as if we’re turning over on our sides?”
“Don’t be silly, if we were on our sides how could we be walking?”
“OK, I guess you’re right. Do you want to lead now, Cal?”
They stopped.
“Yes, that would be nice. I’m not used to walking backwards and my legs feel like they may be getting cramps. Why don’t we turn around.”
The friends agreed to turn clockwise and began slowly to shuffle to their right. Then all of a sudden, Bal shouted, “Stop, Cal. Everything looks the same, how do we know when we’ve turned exactly 180 degrees?”
“Oh, I think I’ll know. It will be when the front of my face comes to where the back of your head was just moments ago. I’ll know.”
They turned a little more until Cal said “Stop!” They began walking again. And they walked on and on, turning about whenever one or the other grew tired.
Hours later Bal came to a sudden stop.
“Look at the ground here, Cal. You see all the scuff marks? I do believe this is where we were sitting when we woke. We’re back where we started from but it feels as if we’re looking backwards. I think I need to rest. Can we sit down?”
“Yes, Bal. I think it would be wonderful to rest for a while. Yes, indeed, rest.”
The two friends, still tied back to back, came to a squatting position and slowly walked their legs apart until they were sitting as before. Soon they were fast asleep.
Both had the same dream. They were fraternal twins and when they grew up an evil magician changed them into refrigerator magnets: two little dogs, small Scotties a half-inch long, one white, the other black. And the dogs would bark and nip at each other from the moment they woke up until they went to sleep.