My four older sisters have beautiful long names. When they started school those beautiful long names got shortened to fit the teachers’ mouths, “You can’t have a long first name and a long last name!” they scolded, as though we had picked our last name.
Now that we have all reached a certain age, the nicknaming is useful for identifying people. Anyone who calls one of my sisters by her nickname has to have known her during her school days, because no one would dare call any of my sisters by her nickname.
One night I was out and I heard a joyful, “Krissy!”
I kept drinking. A hand dropped on my shoulder and spun me around.
“Hey, Krissy! Krissy Brzustowicz! I would know you anywhere!”
“Right,” I said, “I am Mary.”
Now that we have all reached a certain age, the nicknaming is useful for identifying people. Anyone who calls one of my sisters by her nickname has to have known her during her school days, because no one would dare call any of my sisters by her nickname.
One night I was out and I heard a joyful, “Krissy!”
I kept drinking. A hand dropped on my shoulder and spun me around.
“Hey, Krissy! Krissy Brzustowicz! I would know you anywhere!”
“Right,” I said, “I am Mary.”
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