It may be because we are bipeds. Or perhaps biology has determined that it takes two to tango. I am sure that I am not the first person to think about the fact that two of something is better than one of the same. 

Who serves just one piece of toast? Toasters were invented with two slots for a reason. A single piece of toast looks paltry. So what do we do? Cut it into halves, so that there will be two. We don’t just have an egg. It’s two eggs and two bacons, two pieces of ham. We love food in twos: spaghetti and meatballs, potatoes and gravy, turkey and dressing. 

It takes two to define gender: snips and snails (well, ok a puppy dog tail is in there also), sugar and spice. We give hugs and kisses. It is not supposed to bother us if someone throws sticks and stones. Children are supposed to be seen and not heard. My Grandma always told me to mind my P’s and Q’s. 

For entertainment, we sometimes go on double dates. Movies have double features. Or, if that doesn’t sound fun, we can dine and dance. Drinks also come as twos: the rum and coke, beer and a chaser. And if all goes well, we have Saturday night and Sunday morning. 

In advertising, it’s all about pairings: the aftershave and the hunk. The red sports car and the gorgeous woman. Car insurance and the chameleon. Good products also have dual purposes. My toothpaste whitens and removes plaque. The soap cleans and deodorizes. I always buy lotion that combines with sunscreen. God forbid that I would apply anti perspirant alone! It also has to prevent stains on my clothes! 

We are becoming dual consumers. We all have two cars now. Houses automatically have two garages (sometimes more). Who has just one television? I now can watch my show in the den and the kitchen. For some reason, we think we need to eat in two different rooms—it’s not a home unless there is an eat-in kitchen or breakfast room AND a dining room. We need living rooms AND family rooms. A house with one bathroom? Unsellable!  

To be stylish and trendy, we now need pairs of pets. Who just walks one Labrador? I personally think that “sets” of animals look much more compelling than just one. I still carry in my mind a picture of an elegant woman walking down Fifth Avenue with designer furs and two Borzois.   

I feel very strongly about all of this. I think we humans just need symmetry. It is in the nature of things for us to crave balance in our lives. Yin yearns for yang. We need coffee with cream. It is right and good to have peace and quiet. 

So the fact that I just got a gorgeous little Siamese kitten to go with the one I have already is not excessive, silly, or frivolous. And the fact that I already have a pair of tiger cats is not relevant, either.  It’s just in the natural order of things. You gotta have two! Like bookends and crutches. Right?