What's In A Name?

I've always been conflicted about my name.  For the first half of my life I was called Patty, but Patty seems like a little kid's name, so somewhere along the line I changed it to Pat, but that doesn't feel like me because in my mind I am still Patty.

Of course it didn't help that when I was finally settling in to being called Pat I got a job where there was already a Pat so they wanted  me to pick another name and I went back to Patty.  Except at home and at church where I was still Pat.  Unless my mom or my sisters called, then it was Patty.  Are you keeping up?

In junior high my nickname for awhile was "Poundsie", a play on my last name, Pounds.  It's not something I encouraged for long. At the time we all wanted nicknames, but these days it's just a little TOO descriptive, so if I hear it from the mouths of any of my children after they read this, I know plenty of secrets about them too.  Just sayin'.

In high school I spent hours practicing my name-to-be: Mrs. Dennis Carey, Patty Carey, Mrs. D. P. Carey.  I wrote it all over my notebooks and papers.  It was pretty nauseating now that I look back at it but I'm pretty sure you did the same thing.

Then, magically, a couple of years later, that was my name.  We went back to college, Dennis's senior year and my freshman, found a new church in that town and decided to join it.  I was sure they introduced us as Dennis and Patty Carey, but when people came down to welcome us, each one shook my hand and said "We're so glad to have you, Peggy,"  and "Welcome to our Fellowship, Peggy,"  and "Good to meet you, Peggy."  I stood there mute.  (it was a lo-o-o-ng time ago)  For the next nine months people called me Peggy and I answered to it.  You can see why I get confused.

These days I am Mom, and Grandma, and Miss Pat to little kids because we live in the South.  A friend of our granddaughter's wanted my attention once and yelled "Hey, Hayley's Grandma!"   I knew who he meant.  Telemarketers call and want to speak to Mrs. Curry or Mrs. Cory.  I know who they mean too but I don't care because I am planning to hang up on them if they get too pushy.

My driver's license says I am Patricia Pounds Carey.  (Pounds is my maiden name which I took for my middle name when I got married so as not to have my past completely disappear)  but Patricia is more dignified than I will ever be.  Sometimes they call me that at doctor's offices and I just sit there and almost miss my turn after being in the waiting room for half the morning.

So you can call me what you want, I guess. If it starts with a P I'll probably answer to it. Just call me.  I'd love to hear from you.