What’s In A Name?
They called him Teapot for years. As in “Useful as a chocolate…”. It was something Grandpa said once, when they were changing a tire and he didn’t have the strength to turn the wheel nut key. Because he was seven.
So he was Teapot until he left home. His sisters claimed it was affectionate. Sometimes. His father said “character-building”. Mom never used it – she hadn’t been there – but she didn’t stop them either.
On his first day at work, a cute secretary introduced herself as Maggie.
“James,” he replied, holding out a hand. “But you can call me… Jim.”
Extroduction
Oh my, this story is so much longer in my head. The sisters, both older, were there as well at the tire change. Of course, Grandpa didn’t invite them to help, but they would’ve been just as valuable as James. And that word “Sometimes” is a hyper-condensed version of how the sisters used the name in the intervening years. And we never even got to the rock star era when Jim reclaims the name Teapot and writes a song called “Chocolate Guitar” which was my first impression of the picture prompt and the link back to it.
I’m happy with the 100-word version though. I hope it works for readers.
I have a couple of very dear friends with non-complimentary nicknames. I hope each one of them knows how much it is said with love, something I choose to believe about mine.
elmowrites 