A NAME

Mr. Chestnut, Beloit School Superintendent, called Dad “peevey” from his initials P.V. Dad didn’t like that because he felt it labeled him as “easily peeved.”

My name, Vernon, was after Dad’s middle name, Verne. My middle name, William, was from my grandfather (mother’s father), William Obediah Miller. I’m glad my parents chose his first name! Everyone called me Vernon until I went to Caterpillar after college. From the first day of interview everyone called me Vern, and I never corrected them nor objected.

I never really had a nickname. Though in high school Clair Cole, who was tongue tied and pronounced her own name “Tare Tole” pronounced Vernon as “Verman.” She was popular in spite of her speech problem and was even elected cheer leader. A fraternity brother and good friend, Gene Arnold, during my senior year sometimes called me “Vermin Slimes,” but it never stuck with anyone else as a nick-name (luckily). He claims that I wore the same old blue sweatshirt to study in every night the whole year.

In the late ‘60’s Caterpillar appointed their first female and their first Black field representatives. Willy Turner was being sent to a Southern state. He was called to his boss’s office and the boss, in trying to make Willy’s transition as smooth as possible, asked his middle name. Willy said he didn’t have one. The boss suggested the Willy sounded too “watermelony” and that maybe “Eric” was a better name. So it was Eric Turner ever after – I knew him well and our paths crossed frequently. He was a good field rep. He never seemed to prefer either name over the other and answered to either.

My wife, Margo, tells about going to a new school in the 2nd grade. The teacher said, “We don’t use nicknames in this class, and since “Margo” is a nickname for “Margaret” you will be called “Margaret.” When Margo went home in tears her mother visited the principal’s office the next morning with birth certificate in hand. Margo was assigned to a different 2nd grade class.

Not knowing I would later have a subject, Names, I wrote previously about my naming, at a very young age, a single male dog “Judyandjane” after the radio soap opera “Judy and Jane;” and that he ran away. But it is funny enough to think about again from the dog’s viewpoint.

While working construction or some other job I often answered to “hey, you”, or “boy.” And the old adage “Call me whatever you want, but just call me in time for dinner” seems to apply.

But names are important to their owners.