Attack of the clones

When I was a kid, I was once amazed to learn that according to the wise folks, every person has about seven people who share an almost similar face. Wow, I thought, the Creator sure knew how to make things easier for himself (productivity win, isnt it ?!). But now, with the wisdom gained at the expense of the loss of the naivette of childhood, I think those wise folks sure didnt do their research right.

Why, in these few years that I have lived and the restricted geography (my countrymen)for the sampling, I think I have already beaten the statistical mean of seven that I fully believed in. Each time that an acquaintance remarked that he knew or had met someone who looked exactly like me and swore to the veracity of his claim, I would pacify my doubtful mind thinking that of course God did make seven of them, didnt He?

Often, first time acquaintances with whom I had just shaken hands, basking in the warmth of the newfound friendship have ventured to ask me if I have a brother who worked in so and so place or lived in so and so city. Initially, I used to be amused and would point out the existence of my sole sibling who in no way looked like me. This cardinality of my kinship would not satisfy my newfound friend who would ramble on how this guy he knows looks, walks and talks like me. Amazing, I remark, perhaps I was baked in a very popular mould !

Initially I also thought, that this sudden discovery of my clones occurred because of the pressing social need, felt by my new found acquaintances, to make intelligent and interesting conversation after the customary introduction and handshake. But later I was forced to revise my opinion because often some of my closer friends would suddenly chance upon one of my clones - an unsuspecting dude walking down the street, the new kid in a junior class in school, one of the junior batch in college, a colleague in their company and so on. Another disturbing thing was none of these clones happened to be a bigshot or an impressive personality, just your everyday nextdoor kind of guy. Maybe my clones and I are not destined to be great.

Those of you, who have managed to read on so far, testing your patience all along, will wonder why all this rambling suddenly today. Well, today was the proverbial last straw; one lady working with me today to solve a particularly vexing problem at work, innocently sprang on me the existence of a former colleague in her previous workplace who looked, walked, talked and even typed like me ! As if this shock wasnt enough, I seemed to have more in store. When I initiated a pleasant conversation with a particularly attractive girl - a new recruit who I have been trying to reach first base with - in my company today, she giggled and disarmed me with the disclosure that I reminded her of her uncle who - u knw whats coming - looks very much like me ! This does it !

It is the attack of the clones and I am going to fight tooth and nail. I am going to arm myself by compiling a list of all new clone-claims that I encounter. This shall be presented to every new acquaintance. Any claims made of existence of a sample outside the list would need photographic evidence of same, failing which it would invite legal proceedings for libel and damages for causing mental agony.

PS : Any reader who posts any claims in the comments, better talk to his lawyer first !