I've been named...again
I have been riding this commuter train since the beginning of the year into work. So far, the cost involved versus my old carpool is about the same. Before, every fourth month I would have to pay the $270 in parking per month. Add to this the gas involved in the commute and the parking fee for when the parking pass was left in someone else’s car, and it came down to about $160 per month. Except for December, which ended up costing me about $450 because of the parking pass being in someone else’s car a lot.
So, January I started taking the train. I began sitting in a specific spot and entered the social circle. They are a good and very dynamic group of people which includes a deputy, bank executive, IT support people, legal secretary and more. In total, there are about 25 people in this group on my upper level. We communicate and joke with the 40 people on the lower level as well. On Friday evening rides, intense amounts of alcohol are involved. Where am I going with this?
Well, tonight’s ride home was momentous. Several things have happened…The deputy had his bon voyage. He is going to be issued a cruiser and will not be taking the train any longer.
I met Mike (a veteran who had left the train as well). Interesting how the entire car erupted when he walked in with a song of (in soccer style) “Jose’! Jose’, Jose, Jose!” Then I found out his name was Mike.
There is a story behind everyone. Jose is Hispanic. He apparently danced in front of another train group member’s house one long night naked. It was at that time he decided to kick the soccer ball in the neighbor’s yard…and thus Jose was born.
A female on the train (Fugetaboutit) had her nickname after drooling uncontrollably over a tall, supposedly hot guy on the lower level. When he came to his stop, he was bumped and replied with “fugetaboutit.” We later found out he was looking to purchase a Camaro. He was soooo trying to fit the stereotype.
So, this social club assigns nickname with a flask. Yes, a flask. They take their alcoholic consumption very seriously, and it is cheaper to buy it anywhere except for Chicago downtown. I have been assigned my nickname and apparently, a flask is on the way.
Jose actually helped with the naming. He was explaining how and why he was running naked in the group member’s yard and blamed it on being spiritually enlightened by peyote.
For all of those people who know nothing about peyote, it is a type of cactus that when eaten provide a psychotropic experience. It is used in southwestern Native religious ceremony and vision quests. The other method of use is to combine peyote plant with manure and burn it while inhaling it. So all I could think of was Jose, starting a peyote fire in the banker’s front lawn so he could catch an experience. I laughed and laughed.
It wasn’t until I explained the uses of peyote to the other train members that they understood why I thought it was so funny.
It wasn’t until Jose’ made a feeble attempt to speak to me in Spanish that everyone found out I was Native American. Then the American Indian jokes FLEW! I am OK with the jokes. I know better ones than they told but somehow one was sloppily told about a buffalo and the next thing you know, the banker’s has two fingers pointed over his head like horns and he is walking around like a buffalo.
I am telling you, if your money is in his bank…he parties a lot!
I am also included in the White Sox game expedition on July 21st. I really like this group.
So, my name is now Tatonka. Why Tatonka? I Probably because someone besides me was walking around like a buffalo or Tatonka. I will be getting a flask with my new name on it. I wonder what I will put in it…
This brings me to my point (as I almost always have one). How does anyone really get a nickname? Is it always an experience or habit? Why is it nobody has a nickname that makes sense, like “Banker” or “Duct Tape King” or “Always Open”, why is it Bud or Butch or Jack? If you wanted to name the child Jack instead of John, change his name! It can be done. If you don’t believe me, ask Peppy! (That’s her nickname by the way)
Did you know…
A ten year old mattress weighs double what it did when it was new, because of the -ahem- debris which is absorbed through the years. That debris includes dust mites (their droppings and their decaying bodies), mold, millions of dead skin cells, dandruff, animal and human hair, secretions, excretions, lint, pollen, dust, soil, sand and a lot of perspiration, of which the average person loses a quart per day. Good night!
So, January I started taking the train. I began sitting in a specific spot and entered the social circle. They are a good and very dynamic group of people which includes a deputy, bank executive, IT support people, legal secretary and more. In total, there are about 25 people in this group on my upper level. We communicate and joke with the 40 people on the lower level as well. On Friday evening rides, intense amounts of alcohol are involved. Where am I going with this?
Well, tonight’s ride home was momentous. Several things have happened…The deputy had his bon voyage. He is going to be issued a cruiser and will not be taking the train any longer.
I met Mike (a veteran who had left the train as well). Interesting how the entire car erupted when he walked in with a song of (in soccer style) “Jose’! Jose’, Jose, Jose!” Then I found out his name was Mike.
There is a story behind everyone. Jose is Hispanic. He apparently danced in front of another train group member’s house one long night naked. It was at that time he decided to kick the soccer ball in the neighbor’s yard…and thus Jose was born.
A female on the train (Fugetaboutit) had her nickname after drooling uncontrollably over a tall, supposedly hot guy on the lower level. When he came to his stop, he was bumped and replied with “fugetaboutit.” We later found out he was looking to purchase a Camaro. He was soooo trying to fit the stereotype.
So, this social club assigns nickname with a flask. Yes, a flask. They take their alcoholic consumption very seriously, and it is cheaper to buy it anywhere except for Chicago downtown. I have been assigned my nickname and apparently, a flask is on the way.
Jose actually helped with the naming. He was explaining how and why he was running naked in the group member’s yard and blamed it on being spiritually enlightened by peyote.
For all of those people who know nothing about peyote, it is a type of cactus that when eaten provide a psychotropic experience. It is used in southwestern Native religious ceremony and vision quests. The other method of use is to combine peyote plant with manure and burn it while inhaling it. So all I could think of was Jose, starting a peyote fire in the banker’s front lawn so he could catch an experience. I laughed and laughed.
It wasn’t until I explained the uses of peyote to the other train members that they understood why I thought it was so funny.
It wasn’t until Jose’ made a feeble attempt to speak to me in Spanish that everyone found out I was Native American. Then the American Indian jokes FLEW! I am OK with the jokes. I know better ones than they told but somehow one was sloppily told about a buffalo and the next thing you know, the banker’s has two fingers pointed over his head like horns and he is walking around like a buffalo.
I am telling you, if your money is in his bank…he parties a lot!
I am also included in the White Sox game expedition on July 21st. I really like this group.
So, my name is now Tatonka. Why Tatonka? I Probably because someone besides me was walking around like a buffalo or Tatonka. I will be getting a flask with my new name on it. I wonder what I will put in it…
This brings me to my point (as I almost always have one). How does anyone really get a nickname? Is it always an experience or habit? Why is it nobody has a nickname that makes sense, like “Banker” or “Duct Tape King” or “Always Open”, why is it Bud or Butch or Jack? If you wanted to name the child Jack instead of John, change his name! It can be done. If you don’t believe me, ask Peppy! (That’s her nickname by the way)
Did you know…
A ten year old mattress weighs double what it did when it was new, because of the -ahem- debris which is absorbed through the years. That debris includes dust mites (their droppings and their decaying bodies), mold, millions of dead skin cells, dandruff, animal and human hair, secretions, excretions, lint, pollen, dust, soil, sand and a lot of perspiration, of which the average person loses a quart per day. Good night!
Comments