by Linda Ellen
Viv’s eyes filled with tears, and the sight of them sank claws into Gene’s heart. “How can I believe you, Gene? It was you. I ran right into you, don’t you remember? I was as close to you as we are now. Your eyes stared into mine. I even asked you to kiss me – until the girl came around the aisle and ordered me to get my hands off her boyfriend,” she added heatedly.
Gene stared at her, wondering how in the world they would get past this. He could tell Viv was sure of what or whom she saw.
Determined, he declared, “Well, I must have a double out there, then. I heard once that every person has a double somewhere, but I never believed it. But that’s the only explanation that makes any sense. I’m getting to the bottom of this. Right now. And you’re coming with me.”
She opened her mouth as if to argue, but then clamped it shut and searched his eyes as if trying to tell if he was just blowing smoke or if he meant what he said. Hope flared to life in his heart as he could see she was striving to believe him, in spite of the insurmountable odds. Finally, she turned to her parents, who had moved a bit closer, ready to spring to her aid. “I’m going with Gene. We’ll be back later.”
The looks they exchanged spoke volumes. Her father stepped a few paces closer and raised one hand to point straight at Gene. “If you hurt my daughter in any way, I’ll make you wish for the ground to open up and swallow you whole.” Gene’s line of sight held ground with the man and he nodded acceptance. Then, Viv’s father shifted his eyes to her and said, “We’ll be at home all day, Vivvie. You need me to come get you, you call me – you hear?”
Vivian sniffed back tears and nodded softly. She touched her fingers to her lips and blew her father a kiss. Then, she allowed Gene to walk her around to the passenger door and put her inside. As he walked to the driver’s side, Gene sent a respectful salute to Viv’s father, in thanks for the man not stopping them.
They didn’t speak the whole trip through town, over the 2nd Street Bridge, and all the way to the Mom and Pop store. Viv sat practically on top of the passenger door, staring out the window, her arms crossed over her chest.
When Gene pulled the car to a stop, they could tell the store was closed for the day; it was Sunday, after all. However, he hoped the windows upstairs were the owner’s living quarters.
“Is this the right place?” he asked Viv as he turned his head to look at her.
“You know it is,” she answered, but the fire had left her tone.
He nodded and turned the car off. Getting out, he rounded the front and opened her door, taking her hand and pulling her out after him, mumbling, “C’mon.”
They walked up to the front door, but of course, it was locked. A cardboard “Closed” sign hung on the other side of the glass. Determined, Gene led her around to the back door that looked like it led to the second floor. He knocked, hard.
No answer. He knocked again.
They exchanged glances. Neither one had a clue what to do if no one came to the door. Where would they go to find answers?
Finally, they could hear footsteps clomping down the inside stairs. The door creaked open about three inches, and a woman’s voice said, “Yeah? What do you want? The store’s closed today.”
“I’m sorry, ma’am, but could we ask you a couple of questions? It’ll only take a few minutes,” Gene asked politely.
The woman opened the door a bit more, giving him the once over, and then doing the same to Viv. She had a hard look on her face beneath the curlers in her hair. “What questions?” she asked.
Gene looked at Viv and then back to the woman. “Have you seen us before?”
The woman squinted at Viv and indicated with a tilt of her head that she had, and then her eyes met Gene’s. “Yeah, sure I have. Her I saw yesterday when you made her drop the sodas, but you come in all the time, Corporal. What’s this all about?”
“You’ve seen me before?” Gene couldn’t believe his ears.
“That’s what I said.” She looked him up and down. “You look a little more put together today, but yeah. You’re usually with that red head, though…or did you mean what you said to her after this one here ran out?”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t you remember? You yelled at the red head and told her to get…well,” she stopped and cleared her throat. “You used a few colorful words, called her a few names, and you left.”
“Do you know my name, ma’am?” Gene asked, feeling as if he were walking around in a nightmare from which he desperately wished he could wake up.
The woman shrugged a shoulder. “Corporal Wheeler.”
“Look close, ma’am. My nametag says Banks. And I’m a sergeant, see?” he angled his arm to show her the stripes on his sleeve.
“Stripes don’t mean nothing to me, can’t ever keep ’em straight.”
Gene was about at the end of his rope. He opened his mouth to ask another question, when Vivian spoke up.
“Do you know where Corporal Wheeler is stationed?”
The woman laughed and shook her head. “You mean he won’t tell you, hon? He’s stationed out at the Charlestown Ammo plant, right down the road about fifteen miles, or at least that’s what he said once. If he’s two-timing you with that red head, you’re better off without him,” she huffed.
“Do you know his first name?” Vivian added, and Gene could feel in her grip that she was believing him. There had to be a double.
“I think the red head called him Steve.”
Vivian smiled for the first time that day and turned to Gene. “I think I know our next destination.”
They thanked the woman and ran to the car together, linked up tight. The woman’s voice followed them as she hollered, “Don’t take any wooden nickels from him, honey! Men – they’re all alike!”
Once inside, Viv was actually excited and it showed in her smile and in the way her eyes dazzled when she looked at him. “I believe you now, Gene. I’ve heard of this before. I think this man is your doppelganger. And believe me, he’s your double in every way. Except…” she broke off, searching her memory. “Except that he smelled of cigarettes…and beer…and his hair is a bit shorter than you wear yours…and his eyes don’t sparkle like yours do…”
Gene chuckled and pulled her into his arms, his lips connecting with hers for the first time in what seemed like eons. She melted into him, kissing him back just as eagerly. As with other times in which their lips had merged, they both got lost in the effervescent glow of their union, and they forgot all time and location. It was a kiss of dedication and trust – forgiveness – and passion. Their lips melded and moved together as Gene deepened the kiss with more ardor than ever before. They were reconnecting their hearts and re-establishing the bond that had been so cruelly ripped apart the day before.
Finally, he broke their connection enough to open his eyes and peer into hers. Her eyes were full of love and desire, as well as a hint of shame. “I love you, Vivian Powell,” his words caressed her lips.
“And I love you. Oh Gene, I’m so ashamed of myself for the way I acted – the way I treated you! I should have known you were telling the truth!” Viv whispered. “Here I had insulted that Pat character in the Sabotage movie for not believing Barry, I swore to you that I would ‘stand by my man’, and then the first challenge that came along, I tossed you out the window! I’m so ashamed.”
“Honey, there’s no way you could have known I have a doppelganger. Who’d have thought? I mean, I’ve heard of that phenomenon, too, but I guess I’d always thought the stories were just made up or exaggerated. But from what that woman just said – and from what you’ve said – he looks just like me. I, for one, can’t wait to see this fella for myself!”
“Okay then, let’s get to the bottom of this and go meet your dead ringer,” Viv declared, sitting up and smoothing her hair as she sent a sassy wink his way.
Gene shivered, “Ew, don’t say it like that!”
They laughed as he turned to start the engine.
Gene had h
eard of the Indiana Army Ammunition Plant, of course. The Army’s brand new government-owned, contractor-operated facility was located in Charlestown, Indiana – sixteen miles north of Louisville – and had been his second choice of assignment. It was touted as the world’s largest smokeless powder plant, and construction on the buildings had begun in September of 1940. Situated on land close to the Ohio River, it was to eventually consist of three separate, but adjacent operations – the Indiana Ordnance Works Plant #1, the first line of which had been put into production in April of ’41 producing smokeless powder. The Hoosier Ordnance Plant had opened in September of ’41 to manufacture and load propellant charge bags. Finally, the Indiana Ordnance Works Plant #2, which would produce rocket propellant, was to be built at a later date. It was a massive undertaking, and was quite the would-be prey for saboteurs – hence the army detail stationed there.
At the gate to the compound, which was completely surrounded by a massive electrified fence, Gene pulled the car to a stop and handed the guard his military I.D.
“I’d like to speak to the commanding officer, please.”
“Your name, sir?” the guard asked after giving Gene an odd look and checking the card with a double take. Gene figured the guard knew this Cpl. Wheeler personally.
“First Sergeant Eugene Banks.”
Still looking at Gene in total puzzlement, he mumbled, “Just a minute,” and went inside the guard shack. They could see him nodding as he made a telephone call. Gene and Viv exchanged uncomfortable expressions. Then the guard hung up the receiver and came back to the car, handing Gene’s I.D. back to him.
“Major Lewis is the commander of this complex. He will see you in his office,” he said, pointing to the left and what looked like a large administration building for the vast 10,000-acre site.
When they arrived at the newly built structure, they walked together into the outer office, where a harried private sat at a desk. His eyes widened a bit when he looked at Gene, and numbly waved them on into the inner office. Gene figured he had answered the call that a Sgt. Banks wished to see the commander.
When the major looked up from his paperwork with his eyebrows raised, he stopped dead and gawked at the sergeant in front of him.
Gene saluted and held it until the stunned major returned the military gesture. “I’m First Sergeant Eugene Banks, Major Lewis, and this is Vivian Powell. We would like to ask you some questions about Corporal Steve Wheeler.”
The major’s slack-jawed expression turned into an amused smile. “I imagine you would.”
“Do you know if he’s here in the complex at the moment? And if so, could we speak with him?”
The major cleared his throat and relaxed back against his chair. His gaze ran over Vivian and then met Gene’s again. “Yes, he’s here, but he’s on duty. Might I ask what this pertains to?”
Gene turned and met Viv’s eyes and she inclined her head in a nod. Gene looked back at the major and cleared his own throat. “You’re not going to believe this, but…”
The major grinned. “Knowing Corporal Wheeler? Try me.”
Gene laid out everything he knew about the other man, with the major bobbing his head the whole time. Finally, he motioned for them to take a seat. “Let me send for Wheeler,” he said simply, picking up the phone and issuing the order. When he hung up, he looked at Gene and winked. “This should be interesting.”
Five minutes later, a knock sounded at the door and the major bid the person to enter. The door opened – and there stood the man Vivian had seen two times before. He was wearing the same uniform she had seen on both occasions. He, then, saluted and waited for his commander to acknowledge, and then walked a few paces inside.
“You wanted to see me, sir?”
Gene stood up and turned to face him, and the man froze in place, his mouth dropping open.
There they stood, as identical as two people could be – the same eyes, the same nose, the same ears, the same chin, even the same hair. Doppelgangers to end all doppelgangers! Finally, after a few moments, Cpl. Wheeler shook his head and allowed his lips to curl up in a half smile. Addressing Gene, he quipped, “Hey Sergeant – where’d you get my face?”
That broke the ice and everyone laughed.
Gene stepped forward and extended a hand, which the corporal took and they shook heartily. When their hands touched, however, both men instantly knew a surprisingly profound sense of rightness, familiarity, and kinship – as if they had known one another all their lives. The sensation startled them both.
“Sergeant Eugene Banks,” Gene let the words fall from his lips.
“Corporal Steve Wheeler,” the other man offered, his expression alive with wonder. Then, his eyes flicked to Vivian and recognition shone in their sparkling sky blue depths. He inclined his head in her direction. “Ahh, I get it now. Yesterday. In Hankins’s store. You thought I was him.”
Vivian hadn’t said a word, but just stared at Gene’s double. Now, she gave a dumbfounded nod and whispered, “Yes.”
“Yeah, and I caught the brunt of it,” Gene put in.
Cpl. Wheeler good-heartedly smirked. “Sorry, man,” he aimed at Gene. Then, as his eyes connected with Vivian’s, he added, “Sorry, Miss. I must say, though…you really threw me for a loop. It’s not everyday a beautiful woman throws herself in my arms and asks me to kiss her.”
Vivian blushed bright red and lowered her eyes, but Gene just chuckled.
The major hadn’t said a word, but his expression said he was enjoying the show as he sat tilted back in his chair, observing. However, army business always had a way of interfering with life. His telephone rang. Before he answered it, he lifted a hand and indicated they were dismissed. “Take the day off, Corporal.” Gene and the corporal saluted and the three quit the office.
Once the door was shut, with the private staring at them both in open-mouthed wonder, Gene quipped, “You busy, Wheeler? Can we go somewhere and talk?”
The corporal replaced his cap and smiled. “Can’t think of anything I’d like better. I know a place. Let’s go.”
Simultaneously, the two men offered their elbows to Viv, one on each side. She giggled and slid her hands in, noting that even the size of their biceps matched.
“Two handsome soldiers for the price of one. A girl can’t beat that!”
The sound of their joined laughter followed them out the door as the private sat scratching his head.
Together, they settled in a circular booth in a cozy little restaurant on the outskirts of Charlestown. The waitress took their orders, her eyes flicking from one man to the other, and then mumbled, “I’ll be right back with your drinks.”
Cpl. Wheeler watched her walk away, and then chuckled. “Okay, Sergeant. Where do we go from here?”
Gene took off his cap and laid it on the table. He then moved closer to Viv where she sat between the two of them and grasped her hand.
“Tell me about yourself, Steve. And…call me Gene.”
Wheeler cocked his head to the side. “Okay. Gene. Well…I’m twenty-five, I was raised in Carmel, Indiana – that’s just north of Indianapolis, I’ve been in the army since January…my Pop’s dead, my mom’s living with her sister, and I don’t have any brothers or sisters.”
Gene raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been in just since January and you’re already a Corporal?”
Wheeler shrugged and waited for the waitress to set their order – one iced tea and two Dr. Peppers – on the table, and then said, “Yeah, well, I was in the CCC for a full run. Had a pretty good record. So, they put me in as Private 1st Class and just bumped me up to Corporal a month ago. What about you?”
Viv was staring at Gene, watching him swallow before he took a long drink of his Dr. Pepper. She had noticed both men ordered the same soft drink, not to mention, she had just realized, they had both purchased the same make and model car – a black 1932 Ford Sedan. The coincidences were mind-boggling.
“Okay…I’m twenty-five, I was raised in Elizabethtown,
Kentucky – which is just south of Louisville, I’ve been in the army since January, but as a CCC alumni of two years plus one, I went in as a technical sergeant, my Dad and Mom…” he paused, “live on a farm in E-town, and I have two brothers and two sisters.”
“I don’t know about you two, but I’ve got goose bumps!” Viv laughed.
Wheeler agreed. “Yeah, me too. This is like, out of this world.”
Gene took a swig of his drink, and then snapped his fingers with a wide grin. “You grew up in Indiana…tell me something – in high school, did you ever catch a guy stealing and turn him in, only he didn’t know your name, just what you looked like?”
Wheeler thought for a moment and began to nod. “Yeah, junior year, caught some dirt bag stealing sh..” he stopped himself from finishing the curse word and quickly looked at Vivian. “Sorry, stealing some stuff out of a locker that belonged to a friend of mine. So I turned him in. How’d you know that?”
Gene and Vivian exchanged excited glances and laughed. Gene chuckled, “I’ve been catching crap for that, too!” He couldn’t help but laugh as he shook his head in amazement.
After a moment, he grew thoughtful. A suspicion had germinated in his mind and had grown quickly as they talked. Pressing his lips together, he swung from Viv’s face then back to Wheeler. “What do you know about your parents?”
Wheeler curled into his half grin and took a mouthful of his drink. He swallowed slowly, his eyes alive with wonder. “You mean – were they my real parents? The answer is no. I’m adopted. And…” he wavered, two sets of blue eyes holding. “And so were you – right?”
Gene nodded. Wheeler stared.
Wheeler narrowed his eyes and leaned closer across the table. “State your date of birth, soldier.”
“3 February of ’17,” they both said at the same time.
Vivian drew in a gasp. “Oh my word, I hadn’t even thought of that! You’re identical twins!”
The twins affirmed the pronouncement in unison, as their hearts had known the truth the moment they shook hands.
