My Mama Doesn't Call Me Q (Or: Unrelated Ramblings)

I acquired the nickname "Q" my freshman year of college from Hillary, my then roommate and still best friend. It caught on quickly and soon all of our friends called me that -- and introduced me to others by the same.

It didn't stop there, though. Soon, my brothers picked it up, and even a few of my aunts. Professors and librarians were calling me Q. And it was spiffy.

Then my mama called me Q.

I dunno how to explain it, but that just felt wrong. I never minded when she'd called me "Sis" or "Key" when the boys were little -- that's what they'd called me then. But Q just didn't sound right coming from my mother. When I told her that, she didn't understand at first. She mock-pouted for a day or so, "Mrs. Haynie can call you Q, but your own mama can't. The mailman could call you Q, but you won't let your mama," etc. What she didn't realize is that she had it exactly right.

I want my mom to call me by my name -- my REAL name. Is that weird? It just seems more personal than the catch-all nickname dispensed to the world at large. There are about 3 people in this world whom I don't want to call me Q, because the relationship I hold with each of them is unique and for some reason, it just seems more fitting NOT to be called Q. Nicknames can be affectionate tags (and I hope mine is...), but names are special.

Or maybe I just put too much stock in names. ^_~