Many years ago, my father told me a story, one I've been thinking about off and on for about half a century. I have no idea if it's even true, although my dad wasn't the sort for tall tales. I heard it only once, and there were no details or embellishments.
Leaving Montana driving a UHaul, I landed in Elko NV to bed down for the night. I was depressed. One chapter of my life had just ended and another was beginning. That night I had grave thoughts about turning east or south or wherever - change my name, change my destination, just disappear. The computer for the common folk was just beginning. Well, I didn’t turn, as I had no other bright ideas and “destiny” was still a thought for a more mature me. Thirty years later, It all turned out fine but rough spots in my life still have me wondering about Elko NV and what would have happened if I’d turned east from there.
Such great comments! In 2nd grade, back when we had the sign out cards slipped in a paper holder inside the book cover, I used my middle and last name to check out a then overdue book. As the librarian called my name I thought, “well, who is that?” and there ended my experiment using a different name. I hope Margaret remained “Margo!”
My oldest uncle on my Dad's side kind of reinvented himself. In 1929 at 19 years old, he was sent to Canada by my grandfather to escape the post WW1 depression in Germany, in hopes of possibly relocating the entire family. Of course he ran headfirst into the Great Depression when it started here.
At some point, probably as things were heating up in pre WW2 Europe, Canada decided to conduct a census. On the census form, he changed his name to "Brown", and his birthplace to "Saskatchewan". While he was at it, he changed his birth year to make himself younger (thought it would make him more eligible for marriage).
This all worked well, until some of his younger brothers immigrated. First off, he requested they all change their names (legally) to "Brown". His wife was knew of the name change, but was unaware of the birth date change, and was good enough at math to realize his younger brothers couldn't have been born before his stated birth year. I'm told it was very awkward when she figured out she was married to a man about 10 years older than she thought. He got away his entire life with this lie, but it bit him in his senior years - he had to wait an extra 10 years to collect his government pension.
Leaving Montana driving a UHaul, I landed in Elko NV to bed down for the night. I was depressed. One chapter of my life had just ended and another was beginning. That night I had grave thoughts about turning east or south or wherever - change my name, change my destination, just disappear. The computer for the common folk was just beginning. Well, I didn’t turn, as I had no other bright ideas and “destiny” was still a thought for a more mature me. Thirty years later, It all turned out fine but rough spots in my life still have me wondering about Elko NV and what would have happened if I’d turned east from there.
Such great comments! In 2nd grade, back when we had the sign out cards slipped in a paper holder inside the book cover, I used my middle and last name to check out a then overdue book. As the librarian called my name I thought, “well, who is that?” and there ended my experiment using a different name. I hope Margaret remained “Margo!”
My oldest uncle on my Dad's side kind of reinvented himself. In 1929 at 19 years old, he was sent to Canada by my grandfather to escape the post WW1 depression in Germany, in hopes of possibly relocating the entire family. Of course he ran headfirst into the Great Depression when it started here.
At some point, probably as things were heating up in pre WW2 Europe, Canada decided to conduct a census. On the census form, he changed his name to "Brown", and his birthplace to "Saskatchewan". While he was at it, he changed his birth year to make himself younger (thought it would make him more eligible for marriage).
This all worked well, until some of his younger brothers immigrated. First off, he requested they all change their names (legally) to "Brown". His wife was knew of the name change, but was unaware of the birth date change, and was good enough at math to realize his younger brothers couldn't have been born before his stated birth year. I'm told it was very awkward when she figured out she was married to a man about 10 years older than she thought. He got away his entire life with this lie, but it bit him in his senior years - he had to wait an extra 10 years to collect his government pension.