Identity Crisis

All of my life, I've been called by many different names.  My mommy called me "Pumpkin" when I was a wee little girl.  My college roommate called me "Bunz"… after I told her once that I had the "Barger butt" … she ran with it and I became "Bunz!"  Frankly, I'm surprised that I was listed as Rosemary "Bunz" Barger in her wedding handout thingee. 

 

My mother, grandmother, aunts and uncles have all called me "Christine" at one time or many others.  The reason behind this being that I have an Aunt Christine who is "blond"… or at least started out blond like me.,, and I suppose, well.. I just don't know the reasoning beyond that.

 

It's not just a me/Christine thing either.  My sisters inherited this weirdness.  They frequently call me by their daughter's names and vice versa.  I've been called Natalie and Hollian… I don't recall if I've been called Brynn, but odds are that I have.  I'd have to ask her if she's been called Rose or Rosemary, but I know the other two have, because I've overheard it.

 

It doesn't bother me - it's one of those things that you put up with.  The only name I've been called that really has ever bothered me is "Rosie" and I'm sure that stems from the whole "ring-around-the-rosie" crap to which I was subjected in elementary school.  And of course the famous Rosies out there (Barr, O'Donnell) don't make me want to embrace the name either.

 

I, however, have never really had a problem with names.  Well, there was that one time that I was overly stressed at work and I couldn't remember Melba's name despite the fact that we'd worked together for, then, at least 7 years and she was standing there talking to me and all I could think of was that I had no clue what her name was.  And of course when I turned 40 and my mental light bulb started flickering, but with that everyone's name has an equal opportunity to be forgotten… and plus it's a memory thing, not an interchanging thing.

 

Now, however, I've realized that I have in fact inherited the sickness.  "But Rosemary, you say (because you know that I won't respond to "Rosie"), you don't have any daughters whose names you can switch!"  And you would be right.  I do have a "son," so to speak.  His name is Gizmo and he's a very handsome blue-grey 6 year old cat.   So that's one half.  The other half is my nephew Duncan who is currently living at the 'do with me and Mom.

 

Yup, you guessed it.  On more than one occasion I have called Duncan by the name "Gizmo."  He doesn't seem to mind.  But like me, I'm sure he'll put up with it and feel morally superior until one day he calls his daughter Rosemary or Natalie or Bunz!