What's In a Name

My name is Cona. Have you ever heard such a name? Well, let me tell you, where I grew up you were always referred to by your full given name, whatever that was. Therefore, I grew up as Cona Faye, with a drawn-out emphasis on the first syllable. “Why, it’s Ko-o-o’na Faye,” they would say, using the long “O” This wouldn’t have been so bad, except that we were farmers who raised corn. All the boys at school called me "Corny." We moved to a new town. My name changed to “Faye.” No more twang, no more slang end of problem, end of story. Except, now, I’m often called Fern or Fran or Kay and no one spells my name with four letters It is either F-a-e or F-a-y but almost never F-a-y-e Oh, well, what’s in a name? cfa © 7/28/03