Nicknames

Nicknames.  They're a strange thing, arent' they.  Take mine for instance; Bedgie.  Not one I would ask for but there it is, Bedgie.  You may or may not care to know how it came about so if you care, read on.  If not, catch ya on the fly.

So I'm, what, maybe 8, 9 years old.  My oldest brother, Rusty, little sister Michele and I are in my mom and dad's room.  She's on the bed and brother is trying to teach her to say my name.   Agh....that's another story because....deep breath....how to shorten it.  Ok, just read fast...my middle name is Elizabeth (Marie Elizabeth, very regal, I know) first name Marie.  Dad wanted to name me Elizabeth and mom won out, naming me after my grandmother....argh....well, kind of; Marie is not exactly Maria de Los Angeles, thank you Jesus, but I'm trying to get to my point here.

So Michele is on the bed with Rusty and he says "say Elizabeth", come on bro, she can hardly say "mama", so she says "Bedgie".  Can you blame her?  She's on the spot.  She's being asked to perform in front of a crowd of one.  She panics and out comes Bedgie.  Of course I laughed, are you nuts?  I was young too.  Insensitive to how much damage I could do to a mere toddler.  I laughed, he laughed....I thought we were over it and moving on but NOoooo.  Rusty insists on calling me Bedgie.  Did he consider the life long effect it would have on my very being?  Did he consider we'd have to come up with the proper spelling?  Did he consider giving my sister a second chance at the pronounciation and the possibility of her blurbing out something a little cuter?  Of course not.  Why would he do that when Bedgie sounds utterly rediculous.  Way to go brother!

Aaaaah, how could I have overlooked that he has a nickname as well. His name is not Rusty.  It's Daniel A. Leonard V.  Apparently our parents thought we'd be royalty some day and gave us names that would be acceptable within the court.   My brother being a red head, blue eyed, first born and suspect to being the Helms man's son (OK, dont' take that anywhere, it's a family joke) gets a nickname that's a little more acceptable.  Rusty.  I'm sure he's not the first Rusty you've head of.

My brother Greg, royalty as well, is Gregory James Leonard.  And consolation prize, as my dad called her, Michele Camille Leonard.  I'm not sure it's got a royal ring but it does sound upper middle class at the very least.  These two for some odd reason are left to short cut nicknames only.  Gregory being Greg, like who wouldn't figure that out and Michele being Shell.  I wonder if they didn't feel cheated and maybe we should think something more engaging up for them.  After all, when people hear my name for the first time, it's always followed by conversation.

I suppose I just wanted to bring to your attention the fact that I enjoy nicknames.  I saw a picture of a friend of mine recently and his.....dare I say it?  His....nipple was showing.  Nothing meant to be portrayed as risqué, but there it was...his nipple.  I suggested we nickname him Nipples but got no response.  Why?  What's wrong with Nipples as a nickname.  People just don't take me serious.

My husband Juan Carlos Boza is called a number of things.  Some I can actually print are Juanca, JC or Juanchin.  It's obvious to me by our names, he and I were meant for bigger things.  And we're still waiting, mind you.

My friend Bunny.  Her's is not totally unusal either, except for the fact that it was originally Bumpy because she bumped into everything as a child.  How and when it changed to Bunny, I don't recall but I've known her since kindergarten and she's always been Bunny to me.

My friend Marsha. We call her Marsh.....that came out of pure laziness.  Adding the "a" to the end of Marsh was just too much to ask.

I'm sure we all know someone with a nick name.  Are there any as rediculous as mine?  Just a one?