What’s in a (nick) name?

I am very sure that many of you readers would have had this experience which I am about to narrate here.

Though I have difficulty in remembering whether this happened in the sixth or seventh standard, the memory of the incident is so fresh. I was at school and was busy with some class work, when the school attendant came and called out “Titu! Titu! Is there anyone here in this class called Titu?” I was busy with the work that I did not hear fully what the attendant said and though I faintly heard what he said it never struck me that he was calling for me! Suddenly one of my classmates shouted to me “Mariyosh, they are calling for you!” As if struck my thunder, I jolted and standing in my place, with an innocent face looked at the attendant who was yelling at me. “Are you Titu?” he asked. “Yes”, I replied. He continued, “There is a call for you from your mama (maternal uncle). Go to the headmistress’ office and attend the call” and looking at the teacher he continued, “We have been searching for him for more than half an hour and is uncle is going mad at us. Please send him immediately, sir”.

“Ah!” I thought in my head, “the secrecy has broken”. And I rushed to the headmistress’ office to take the call. It was one of my maternal uncles who had visited my home that day and wanted to talk to me. He had gone on a long business trip and had returned home and since I was his “favourite” kid among all my cousins (I know that my cousins will be jealous of me!) he couldn’t wait until that evening, for me to return home, and had wanted to know my well being! I spoke to him and returned back.

During school days when some student gets a phone call, it was fun for all of us. And we always wanted such to happen and especially at certain auspicious times :) – when the whole class is silent because the teacher is punishing all who haven’t completed the homework or when it is your turn to answer the question that the teacher had just asked! It also gave a break for the students to break-free for a little while, until the teacher hushed us all once again.

But it is not so good when the phone call comes for you! And on that day I was the fortunate and the unfortunate kid, both at the same time. Even as I was walking down the corridor to go to my class these thoughts were flooding my mind. I was fortunate because my uncle had come home and for sure he would have bought something special for me. I was unfortunate because the long kept “secret” was finally broken – that my nickname was “Titu”! But then I was not an exuberant person and was also very calm and timid and so I did not invite much trouble from my classmates. Though some started off teasing me with my nickname, but knowing me as one paavam (innocent) kid they left me in a little while! And since I also did not react much it just died down – which I wished to happen the sooner.

Though the twitting stopped at school (thank God that then there was no ‘Twitter’) it continued as always with my cousins!

As a school boy I always hated others calling me by my nickname especially those of my age and younger to me! It made me feel as if I was a kid (though I was one)! But now I have grown and grown out of it! I realized that even nicknames could become our “touch-me-nots” and make us moody and break God-given relationships. It is better to grow out of all “touch-me-nots” of our lives, to live lively lives!

But so far I haven’t known the reason why some of my relatives call me as “Titu”. This summer when I go down south for vacation I need to ask my grandmother the reason!

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