Twin Tax
Twin Tax
Word Count: 965
Kevin and Kenny are twins who were born, according to Kenny, approximately four and a half minutes from each other on the eighth of November. Kenny was born at 8:48pm, positioning the moon at 12.55 degrees and Kevin was born at 8:52:30 pm, positioning the moon at 12.57 degrees. Kenny liked to point out the difference in moon tilt occasionally to show off that he was born on a multiple of five, which would occasionally infuriate Kevin.
Kenny, being born first, liked to parade around his older status and would claim that as the older brother, his orders should be followed by Kevin. Kevin didn’t like this. Kenny often liked to enact his rule upon the house in a tyrannical fashion. He liked to choose the games they played and would get upset if he did not have the bigger piece when they split a cookie. Kevin thought that this was the younger twin tax, of course. This was the price to pay for being four and a half minutes late (although he wasn’t sure how their mom was supposed to have them at the same time, but maybe she would have found a way).
This is not to say that Kevin and Kenny did not get along. Like most, if not all twins, they were practically inseparable. They liked sharing their toys and friends and secrets, even the occasional shirt that they would claim was their favorite and must NOT have double of. As twins it was essential to have little displays of individuality, as Kenny had mentioned to Kevin one afternoon when they were seven. Kevin agreed, of course.
Sometimes the younger twin tax was fair and other times Kevin believed that Kenny was secretly using the tax as a way to get whatever he wanted. If Kevin grabbed the last popsicle in the fridge, Kenny would claim that he had to give it to him because it was only fair as the older brother. If Kevin wanted to go down the slide first, Kenny would jump in front of him and say that the elder goes first. Kevin was just about at his wits end with Kenny’s abuse of the twin tax.
Kevin and Kenny liked to frequent the five and dime (more commonly known as Seven-Eleven) just around the block of the park near their house. Their dad would take them on strolls every Thursday evening and would allow them to buy one candy each. Kevin and Kenny would always get excited by these trips and coordinate their candy eating schedule. Kevin liked to buy KitKat because there were four pieces total, which meant four times the chocolate that he could save, and that meant a half bite a day, with a special whole bite on the seventh day. Kenny liked to buy the Milky Ways because he said that an astronaut went all the way to the moon to export and manufacture the chocolate. Space candy was always better, but Kevin liked to save his so he could have chocolate every day (this of course did not last more than two days: two pieces on each day).
Kenny thought that Kevin was none the wiser about his younger twin tax. In his opinion, Kevin tended to be naive and a push over. He was easy to manipulate and he would willingly give up what he wanted so that Kenny could take it instead. Kenny occasionally felt bad, but what were brothers for if not to occasionally trick and manipulate each other. Kenny was rather surprised that Kevin had not caught on already. They would turn nine soon, so if Kevin had not figured it out by now, he never would.
Kenny looked forward to their candy expeditions with their dad. He felt that it was a sacred tradition that allowed for them to both lower their calorie intake and prepare for the sweet treat that they would be consuming for the day. When they entered the store, as usual, their father left them in the sweets ile to look for his usual purchase of coke and a coffee for their mom. Kenny and Kevin were left to their monumental decision making debate where they had to determine which candy would be most enjoyable to satiate their hunger for the week (Ignoring the fact that they always choose the same candy every week, of course).
Kenny watched Kevin scrunch his face in contemplation at the wide variety and he noticed how he would glance at him every time he thought he would want something. Naturally, waiting for Kenny to choose first as is custom for the younger twin tax. Kenny almost felt sorry for his poor brother. Very loyal and gullible as he is. They were eight years old now and it was time Kenny acted as such, and for Kevin to grow as such.
“Kevin. I believe I have something to share with you.”
“What is it Kenny?”
“I am not the older twin. You are. I was born a minute and a half from you, which places my moon position at 12.56 degrees. So, hardly a difference really. I thought I should reveal it to you now before we enter the third grade. While the younger twin tax has been fun, I find it to be rudimentary now.”
As one would expect, Kevin did not like this. In fact, he hated this news. So much so, that Kevin proceeded to wreak havoc upon the candy aisle in the store. As one would continue to expect, their father was not happy about this. Kenny thought the whole thing was hilarious if not for the fact that they walked out of the store with no candy and Kevin kicking and screaming the entire way home.