No one chooses their own name. Nicknames most often grow from mickey taking as did mine. This summer I found myself at a wedding talking to the grooms father. "So why are you called skree" he persistently asked me. After a point I gave in and asked "why are youcalled Noel". "Because my parents called me that". Yes, I said, "because someone called you it". There a few things we have no choice in; our sexuality, the colour of our skin, and our name. As this all seemed a bit much to him I said my real name is michael and he could call me that if he wished. This caused him to laugh out loud in my face. I couldn't understand why, it seems a quite ordinary name.
Later on that evening as I lay in bed a little upset by the fellows behaviour it hit me the story of when the libertines found out marlin Manson was called Bryan and how they mocked him with this. But no one chooses a nickname. It is not like a stage name.
I left with a low opinion of Noel. His behaviour falls in to the same category as racism or sexism. Mockery for something beyond an individuals choice.
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