I opened the letter box the other day, situated just near this tree, and pulled out a letter addressed to Krissie Adams.
“Who the hell’s that?” I exclaimed and handed it back to the post lady who was hanging around waiting for someone to talk to.
“It’s your wife”, she said, handing it back.
When I was a kid I had an autograph book, I thought it was brilliant and raced round asking people to put something in it.
I got my dad’s – he wrote “Roses are Red, Violets are blue, I can row a boat, Canoe.” And my mum’s and the art teacher drew an amazing eagle in flight.
And then my sister took it and wrote – “Chris for now, Chris for ever, Adams for now but not forever. In ten years time, when this you see, I wonder what your name will be?”
I was about 7 years old.
And very confused.
Once my sister had explained it, realising her own error in the process, I was even more confused.
Why would any one want to stop being them?
I think this single event hardened my attitude towards marriage for years to come and it was only when Krissie convinced me that she wouldn’t morph if she said “I do” that I did.
So, I need some advice.
She’s away at the moment so should I destroy the letter?
If I give it to her will she change?
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5 comments:
Similar things go on in our household. I sometimes receive mail that addresses me with my husband's surname and he sometimes gets mail addressed with mine.
When it happens in person, it's easier to clear up. I just explain: "I'm still waiting for him to change it".
Incidentally, my sister's autograph in my book went:
The thunder god went riding by,
Upon his favourite filly,
"I'm Thor", he cried
His horse replied,
"You forgot your thaddle, thilly"
Why do we remember things like this?
It's brilliant Vicki!
Maybe that's why we remember them - the rest of the stuff is daily life, these moments are gems?
Now, why did i walk into this room?
I think that performers -- and to some extent other professionals such as doctors, lawyers, politicians -- have to be very careful about their names because the audience will weave some image around the person and the name.
It's been my experience that identity issues arise when there is an ethnic disparity. I was once in a meeting with an important client whom I had been dealing with over a period of months. At one point he asked which part of Hungary my family was from. Kovack, of course, is my married name [okay, call me a dinosaur!], so I explained the situation and said that I was born in Italy. To my surprise, he banged his fist on the table and said "I knew it." I realized then that if my last name had been Irish or Greek he would have assumed I had those roots. What if my last name had been Wong? Would he have assumed me to be Chinese?
It is likely a good thing that everyone keeps their birth name. The practice in Italy is that all women keep their family name. Still I find that when you have children, teachers, other parents automatically call you by whatever last name your child goes by.
As to the letter, I would assume it is either school related or some direct mail advertising piece.
Has the mystery of the letter been solved?
Mx
What's in a name eh?
A rose by any other?
It was someone who knew her mum.
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