Strange the name and chuckles

I’m used to my name getting some giggles out of strangers. LOL, get it?

I grew up as Megan Ryan (for those of you who don’t get it, please click here and also I’m upset you don’t get it).

Source: IMDb

I once had a boss who used to say my name at every roll call and then chuckle quietly to himself. Although, since he was the boss, no one was speaking when he was speaking and therefore everyone heard him quietly chuckle to himself. And then everyone else would call me Megan Ryan and then chuckle quietly to themselves.

So, when I became Megan Strange, I already knew what it was like to have a chuckle-inducing name. I have had a few weird responses. Although, I think today’s takes the cake.

I ventured out to the Downtown Houston Public Library around 9:30 this morning to pick up a thesis we ordered on inter-library loan for work. This was a bad idea for several reasons:

1. The Downtown HPL does not open until 10 a.m.
2. It was very windy. So windy that my shoe came off, and I got a decent amount of resistance training on my way there. I’m not exaggerating.
3. The Downtown HPL is not the safest of places. Within the first minute of stepping into the doors, someone asked to borrow my phone.
4. Most of the staff at the Downtown HPL does not know what an inter-library loan is. So, several phone calls were made before that little document was placed in my hands.

So, when I finally found someone who could help, she asked me for my name.

I told her “Megan Strange,” because that is my name.

She looked at me really funny.

Library Lady: “For real?”

Me: “Yes.” FOR REAL LADY, WHY WOULD I MAKE A JOKE IN THE LIBRARY? THAT’S A REALLY WEIRD PLACE TO MAKE A JOKE.

Library Lady: “Did you invent that name?”

Me: “No.” BUT IF I HAD, YOU BETCHA I WOULD HAVE ASKED MY PATENT ATTORNEYS TO PATENT IT SO THAT EVERYBODY WITH THE LAST NAME STRANGE WOULD HAVE TO PAY ME, INCLUDING MY HUSBAND, ONLY GUESS WHAT YOU CAN’T GET A PATENT ON NAMES, BECAUSE YOU DON’T INVENT NAMES. MAYBE YOU CAN GET A TRADEMARK IF YOU’RE FAMOUS LIKE JOHNNY FOOTBALL. BUT I AM NOT JOHNNY FOOTBALL, AND MEGAN STRANGE IS NOT NEARLY AS CATCHY AS JOHNNY FOOTBALL, BUT NEVERTHELESS I STILL PREFER IT OVER JOHNNY FOOTBALL.

Then, Library Lady called someone else to bring the thesis downstairs, and I guess Other Library Lady asked for my name and don’t you know that Library Lady loved telling her my name was Megan Strange. LOVED IT. Made her day, I’m sure.

Contribution to society for today (because I made her day with my name…and I let that guy use my phone, which I was told when I got back to work was a bad idea, but ya win some, ya lose some) = accomplished.