Doppelganger (n.) a duplicate person, as in someone who looks exactly like __________.
I never used to believe in such a thing. I mean, each human being is an individual, there is no one else like them, right?
WRONG.
I have seen three in the past 20 years(!)
About two months ago, I was grocery shopping at the closest market to home. Not because it was my favorite, but because it was close. (Laziness? Heat?)
I’m standing in the checkout line, and five or six folk ahead of me was a familiar guy. Tall. Large. Built familiarly (if that’s even a word?) He turned to push out his cart of groceries, and I almost yelled out his name! He resembled strikingly BOB, my former PI and gun store boss! Except the previous week I was informed by the original Bob that he just has had the lower part of his left leg amputated. And I knew there was no way he would have been across the Valley, 30 miles from his home, and so ambulatory right away. And this guy had more hair, a goatee and a pony tail! Nope – not Bob!
But certainly closer looking to him than his brother!!
Another time, we were in a Mexican restaurant. Because it was cheap, not because it was good. And we were seated by the back door, and could see folks seated outside on the patio. And there was Marla, a former girlfriend. Same figure, same face, same laugh and mannerisms. Except Marla passed away in 2004 – I have a copy of the obituary!
And there was my first observance with a doppelganger. In 1995, about 4 months after the accident. You know where I’m going with this…
The ex and I were window shopping at a large mall, largely because it was late Summer and air conditioned. And a couple walks by with three children. And number-two child looked exactly like Molly, except with blond hair!!!
I’m not normally the kind of man who faints, but I leaned up against the wall and closed my eyes to keep from losing consciousness. And to keep from screaming and crying. And my ex (who obviously had not seen her) asked me what was wrong.
And I nervously pointed. At air.
There was a couple with children. TWO children! And neither resembled our daughter.
Sigh.
To only be able to see her again…
Guffaw in AZ 
Wow. What an experience.
{{{hugs}}}
(And look! I can comment on your blog again! I have no idea how it got fixed!)
Posted by tomiarthistorian | July 19, 2015, 8:29 amThanks.
Hugs back.
Probably because you are on WP now (?)
Posted by guffaw1952 | July 19, 2015, 9:08 amThey ARE out there… I’ve actually talked to a guy I ‘thought’ I knew… for five minutes before he finally asked me who the hell I was!!!
Posted by Old NFO | July 19, 2015, 6:19 pmHahaha!
Scary.
Posted by guffaw1952 | July 19, 2015, 6:37 pmI apparently have a doppelganger in Las Vegas. She looks so much like me (or I like her?) that a colleague with whom I worked daily approached her in a restaurant and started talking to her, thinking she was me.
And I’m sorry about the little ghostly doppelganger you encountered, that must have been shocking and heartbreaking.
Posted by Christina RN LMT | July 20, 2015, 5:40 amYes, this seems to be fairly common, Who knew?
And thank you for your kindness!
Posted by guffaw1952 | July 20, 2015, 7:52 amHeartbreaking indeed! My condolences. I get told that I’m somebody from somewhere else often enough to be worried – but I’m not.
Posted by NotClauswitz | July 20, 2015, 8:42 amThank you good sir!
Weird.
Posted by guffaw1952 | July 20, 2015, 9:23 am