Mickey finds out from his mother that he had a twin brother who was given away at birth because his mother could not afford to keep both boys. His mother gave one of the twins to a woman who could not have children. Upon learning this, Mickey becomes upset and questions why he was not the one who was given away. The narrator then tells the story of the Johnstone twins, who were as alike as two new pins but one was kept while the other was given away, and how they were both born and died on the same day.

1. MRS JOHNSTONE
Mickey. Don't shoot Eddie,please. He's your
brother.You hada twin brother. I couldn't
afford to keep both of you. His mother
couldn't have kids. I agreedto give one of you away!
Mickey
You! You! Whydidn't you give me away mam?
I could have been. I couldhave been him! No!
Narrator
And do we blame superstition for what came to pass?
Or could it be what we, theEnglish, have come to know as class?
Didyou ever hear thestory of theJohnstone twins,
as likeeach other as two new pins
how one was kept and one given away,
how theywere born, and theydied,
on theself same day?
MRS JOHNSTONE
Mickey. Don't shoot Eddie,please. He's your
brother.You hada twin brother. I couldn't
afford to keep both of you. His mother
couldn't have kids. I agreedto give one of you away!
Mickey
You! You! Whydidn't you give me away mam?
I couldhave been. I couldhave been him! No!
Narrator
And do we blame superstition for what came to pass?
Or could it be what we, theEnglish, have come to know as class?
Didyou ever hear thestory of theJohnstone twins,
as likeeach other as two new pins
how one was kept and one given away,
how theywere born, and theydied,
on theself same day?