Thursday, July 30, 2009

What's in a name?

Tony's the kind of guy that everyone seems to like. He's agreeable, laid back, and just enjoys hanging out. He's comfortable eating out with others or alone by himself. He's quiet, contemplative, and has eyes that gleam with a mischief that makes you wonder what lurks behind that serene countenance. Who is this Tony, you may ask. He seems like a swell guy, maybe someone you'd like to know. Well, you're in luck. If you're reading this, you probably already know Tony. Tony is my alter ego. Now let me explain. I frequent a lot of restaraunts during lunch that requires the person taking the order to ask the name of the customer. These places range from McDonald's to, as in today's case, Panera's. Due to my soft-spoken nature and the uniqueness of my name, when the person who calls out the customer's name (usually not the same person that took the order) calls my order out, it comes out as either Juan or, in those rare instances when I actually take the time to spell out my name, Tone. So rather than going through all that trouble, I tell them my name is Tony. It's easy for the restaraunt employees to spell and I have yet to have anybody butcher it so it's really a win-win situation for all involved. What's funny is that I usually pay with my debit card which has my name spelled correctly on it. No one has yet to catch that little inconsistency. This is usually the point where that mischievous gleam in Tony's eyes are most prominent. There's just something exhilirating about getting away with a little white lie. So the next time you visit a restaraunt that inquires whether they can get a name for that order, give them one. No one ever said it had to be yours ;)

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