My Other Half

Jeff and Angela had been married for forty years when the inevitable happened. Being two years older than his wife, Jeff always thought he would be the first to die, so he was in utter disbelief when a heart attack suddenly ripped Angie from him. He had no children or siblings to help him share the grief, just some well-meaning close friends. The burden of making funeral arrangements landed squarely on Jeff’s shoulders, which was a blessing in disguise. He was so busy picking out a burial plot, coffin, and venue to hold a service that there was very little time to allow his grief to consume him.

Nights were the hardest for Jeff to deal with. After forty years of feeling the same person lying next to him, it was a struggle to lie in bed alone. As with many older couples, sex had died years before, but the feeling of intimacy remained strong. The silence was deafening. Her soft breathing, and the rustle of the sheets when she turned over, were all gone for good. From now on, only the memory of all these things would remain for as long as his tired old brain could keep them alive.

Some friends brought him food while others invited him to their house for a meal and drinks. They didn’t want Jeff to spend too much time alone, fearing grief would drag him into depression. He knew what they were doing and why, and it was comforting to think that so many people were concerned about his well-being. When they asked how he was feeling, his answer was always the same,

“I’ve lost my other half. I can only hope we’ll find each other again someday.”

After hearing his answer, people would react by patting him on the shoulder to comfort him or attempting to lighten the mood, asking, “Don’t you mean your better half?” Jeff would never answer the question. He would smile and change the subject.

The dreaded day arrived. Angela’s flower-draped coffin was placed front and center so everyone could offer their last wishes. The reverend, who never met her, told all in attendance what a lovely person she was. Now it was time for Jeff to speak.

“I want to start by thanking everyone for all the kindness you have shown me these past few days. It has given me a great deal of comfort. Some of you have looked perplexed when I said I’ve lost my other half, so I’d like to take this time to explain what I meant by that phrase.”

“In ancient Algonquian folklore, they talk about how the Great Spirit created the world and everything living on it. Humans were the last to be brought into existence. They differed from how we are today because they were immortal. He created us to be the caretakers of this beautiful planet and all that lived on it. Over time, humans became self-absorbed and arrogant. They ignored their duties and treated the other creatures as inferior.”

“Angry with how humans were behaving, the Great Spirit placed all of them in a deep sleep. He removed their life force, divided it into two equal parts, and scattered these parts haphazardly over the planet. This life force remained immortal but was now doomed to spend the rest of eternity searching for their other half. The humans’ physical bodies were no longer immortal and would now go through a life cycle like every other being on Earth. A life force joins each person at birth and is released after death. While connected with a living person, the spirit could search for its other half. It was a nearly impossible task.”

“Whether by dumb luck or as a reward for a good deed in a past life, no one knows for sure, but the two halves were occasionally reunited for one lifetime. When this happens, their joy is impossible to describe. Once death separates the halves, the eternal search resumes.”

“I know this is a legend, but aren’t all beliefs merely legends? I simply choose to believe in this one. Now you all know why I say Angela was my other half.”

The well-wishers left the service satisfied that they had done their part, but unsure how they felt about Jeff’s eulogy. In two years, some would return to pay their final respects to Jeff, still confused by his story. It didn’t matter. Jeff’s spirit had already resumed its worldwide search for its other half.

Paris, France - 150 years in the future.

Two strangers, a young man and a woman, arrive at a small sandwich shop at the same time. He reaches across and opens the door for her. She smiles and says, “Merci!”

“Je vous en prie,” he replies.

They enter the shop and order identical items, which causes them to chuckle at the coincidence.

“Bonjour, I’m Jeff.”

“Bonjour! My name is Angela.”

And the story begins anew!