Sunday, December 7, 2008

I may need a name-tag

The following exchange took place at work. To protect the innocent, all names have been changed except for the author.

The cast:
Beth - a customer I've know for at least 2 years
Wanda - a co-worker
Justin - myself

The Scene:
A busy cafe in a hip Vancouver neighbourhood. It is night. The cafe is full, but most of the customers have been there for some time. There are only a few customers at the till placing orders. Justin and Wanda are manning the tills.

Beth (to Wanda):
Medium soy mocha to go please.

Wanda (to Beth):
Medium soy mocha to go. I'm sorry, but your name escapes me.

Beth (to Wanda):
Beth. It's OK, I can never remember any of your names.

Justin (to Beth):
But you remember my name don't you?

Beth (to Justin):
Of course I remember your name. You have the same name as my brother, I could never forget your name. You're the only other Moses I know.

Justin (to Beth):
What? What did you say?

Beth (to Justin, somewhat flustered):
Nothing, I didn't say anything bad. I just said you're the only other Moses I know.

Justin (to Beth):
But that isn't my name.

Beth (to Justin):
Your name isn't Moses?
(to Wanda) His name isn't Moses?

Wanda (to Beth):
Justin.

Justin (to Beth):
Justin.

Beth (to no one in particular):
Justin?

Justin (to Beth):
Justin.

Beth (to Justin):
But I've always known you as Moses, from the first day we met! Your name isn't Moses?!

And so it was revealed to me, that for the last 2 years or so, Beth was under the impression that my name was Moses.

This, of course, isn't the first time I've been called other names. For the longest time, strangers would call me Mike. Eventually, I found out that the Mike in question worked in the same neighbourhood. Apparently, I was a dead ringer for him. Curious, I went by his place of work one day and sure enough, there he was. There was no mistaking him, it was like looking in a mirror! It was surreal. I didn't dare go and say hello because I was sure the universe would implode.

In a curious coincidence, one of the regulars to the cafe also called me Mike. At first I just let it go, it didn't seem like a big deal. Before I knew it, a couple of years had gone by, and this person still thought my name was Mike. I didn't have the heart to tell him otherwise. How could I? So much time had passed, I didn't even know how to begin to explain that my name was not Mike.

As for Beth, I told her she could still call me Moses if she wanted to. It's only a name, and there are far too many Justins at work anyway!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

from now on, you're Moses.

Mama T said...

and is your sister's name Apple?

joie said...

did you part her cap foam?

you must remember to tell me who!