Name calling

Old Bill Shakespeare was quite right in posing the question: “What’s in a name?” Parents devote a lot of time and thought in ...

Old Bill Shakespeare was quite right in posing the question: “What’s in a name?” Parents devote a lot of time and thought in conjuring up original and exciting names for their offspring but one goes through most of one’s life known more by one’s connections and what one does than by the name itself.

This is even more true in one’s younger and older days. As a kid, I was roundly introduced as my grandfather’s grandson or my mother’s son. At present, I am known as my children’s father. Will I live long enough to be introduced as my grandchildren’s grandfather!

In my case, my choice of career was also such that names were not too relevant. I joined the National Defence Academy at Kharakvasla where one became a number allotted by the authorities. We had to wear armbands prominently displaying our numbers on the upper arm, thus making it easy for an instructor to ask a question or for a senior cadet to single any one of us out for an hour of solid, no-holds barred ragging. Incidentally, that was half a century ago but the numbers have not been forgotten and some of us still address each other by that number!

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On getting into the Navy, we were addressed rather formally by the rank and the surname. This really amounted to nothing as, for example, there could be dozens of Lieutenant Sharmas! On becoming more senior, the surname was often dropped and only the rank or appointment would be used. So we have Captains, Fleet Commanders, Commanders-in-chief and finally the Naval Chief. After retirement, each becomes a former so-and so till he fades away.

All this is fine by me and I have been very comfortable with it. But there was one time when I thought things went a bit too far. As a bachelor, I used to have a dog called Lucky. It was a cute, little Pomeranian which as a pup had jumped off a bed and broken one of its forelegs. The fracture was set right but the dog developed a peculiar, prancing gait which made it extremely attractive. It was fascinating to watch Lucky as it approached you pirouetting along, wagging its tail and looking at you with soulful eyes, just waiting to be petted.

Needless to say, Lucky was enormously popular, especially with all my friends’ kids who only knew me as Lucky Uncle!