The thing that a criminal on the run fears most is his identity becoming known to those who, by acting out their staid, boring lives, provide the sanctuary that he craves. It is a strange paradox, at times fearful, at times reassuring; he needs to mingle in order to forge a cover made up of casual relationships, yet, he is also acutely aware that these inwardly forced, outwardly casual interactions can lead to his cover being blown.
If his cover is blown and the corresponding law enforcement agencies are called in to investigate the matter, there are limited (especially for those too squeamish to engage in a gunfight) avenues of escape. For our ingenious fugitive the solution is simple; simply pose as his identical twin and hope that the police are too dimwitted to decipher the ruse.
However, there is a drawback: his success in the matter guarantees that the (innocent) twin will be subjected an intense interrogation by the police and even a small period of detainment while the who's who is worked out.
Fade out...
Fade in...
When the statute of limitations on the crime is over and done, our criminal is free to go home. Unfortunately, though certainly deservedly, his return is neither expected nor welcomed, and his room certainly isn't just as he left it.
Written on Monday, 2 June 2003