The Name Game, Redux.

Though I'm a Florida State graduate, I first went to college in Tennessee, at "The University of the South: Sewanee" (or, as it is now called, "Sewanee: The University of the South"). Names are funny things. Shakespeare pointed out that a rose would still smell nice if you called it an old shoe, but names still have power. Diane and I went to the Charleston chapter gathering of the Sewanee Alumni association last night, and they gave me a name-tag that indicated I was "Sparky", though I'd never used the moniker at Sewanee. Whence the mix-up? Well, "Chip" Manning, one of my old classmates, was dunning me for a contribution, and I sent my generous contribution of, maybe, twenty five bucks an returned the gift card with the name Sparky. Chip apparently amended the records to reflect my new name. A couple of people at the gathering looked at me quizzically. "You look familiar", they noted, "but I don't know any Sparkys". The host of the event, Mark "Moose" Phillips, with whom I'd played football (and quaffed a few brews way, way, back then) gave me a funny look, too. Once I'd assured him of my actual identity, he loosened up, a bit (though he did watch his liquor cabinet closer!).