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I had a fraternity brother named "Squirrel." Everyone on campus knew the guy as "Squirrel," and he was very popular. He was very cute, very small, and his hair kind of stood up in the front. If only he had pockets full of peanuts, the name would have been the most perfect nickname in history.
Even our composite listed his name, simply, as "Squirrel."
Fast forward 20 years. We were putting together our reunion mailing list, and we have absolutely no idea what Squirrel's real name was. We searched our composites and our alumni lists, but alas, we could not figure out his damn name. I'm not sure if the committee ever resolved it.
I think his name was Brian. Brian "What?" I absolutely have no idea.
I have a nasty habit of depending on nicknames. The guy who paints my house? Al the Painter. No idea what his real name is. Angie the UPS Woman delivers me several boxes from Amazon.com each week. One of my father's best friends was named "Blue." I had no way to invite him to my dad's funeral.
Speaking of rodents, I have a Facebook "friend" named Beaver. I don't think the guy looks anything like a beaver, so I'm not asking...
I'm making it a point these days to learn first and last names, even for my most casual acquaintances. It's tougher, sure, but it sure makes it easier to find people when you really need them. If you have a cell phone contacts list full of nicknames, you might want to fill in the blanks one of these days.
