Monday 12 October 2009

What's in a name?

I followed a man round Sainsbury's Dulwich this morning. Quite unashamedly if I'm honest...and not for the reason you're thinking either. He wore the distracted look of a Dulwich Dad - all rumpled hair, quizzical expression and slightly too baggy cords. The reason I followed him at a not-so discreet distance was because of the conversation he held with his child by the courgette section.

"Want that one daddy" said the angelic looking treacle haired child in his trolley "No Quiche darling, not that one, it's very soft" Dulwich Dad responded.

Quiche? I stopped, mid-prod of a marrow and regarded the charming duo as they moved off towards the spinach. I followed them, all thoughts of filling my trolley with green goodness.

I mean, I'm used to Dulwich names. You can't move in Sainsburys or the deli or the Sue Ryder shop without bumping into Jessima, Jacob, Tallulah, Regina, Victoria, Ronald or Archie - all tiny versions of their Dulwich Parents. There was even a Montgomery in Cafe Nero the other day, he was about four and was throwing his toy cars at paying customers. His fathers response? "Don't do that Montgomery, you'll break your cars". But Quiche? Just a plain Quiche or perhaps a Quiche Lorraine?

Had I missed out an entire fashion for naming your child after something you'd find in a chiller cabinet? And if I had, how the hell had my sister? Caitlin has enough names to trip up her future husband at the crucial moment at the altar (two being Alsace and Charlotte) and Ian is going to suffer writers cramp when he starts filling out the many forms that life is going to throw at him. My own precious son is quite poor on the name front but at least he doesn't need to work out if the Simon comes before or after the Edward and three along from the Richard.

So, while I was ruminating on whether I was going to meet twins Sage and Onion at the checkout and bump into Corned Beef in the car park, I skidded round into the Bakery aisle to find Quiche and her father worrying over crusty cobs.

"Shall we get some proper bread for our soup darling or would you prefer croutons?" A dazzling choice for Quiche who was about three. Quiche wasn't going to be fobbed off with bread or croutons - she wanted a raspberry and custard Danish pastry with the tinned Scotch Broth in her trolley. "No darling, not with soup" Dulwich Dad laughed heartily, suddenly catching sigh of his Sainsburys Stalker and raising an eyebrow. I blushed and found myself examining the hotdog rolls.

"Want that" Quiche continued, building up into a mini rage. "Quiche darling no" said Dulwich Dad, preparing to whisk her away from temptation. Quiche was having none of it. "Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo DADDY!" she screamed as they headed into Jams and Spreads. "WANT THAT ONE!" she bellowed as they passed the Nutella. Come on! I was thinking, please do what I do when Mac has a temper tantrum Use the full name!

"Quiche, listen to Daddy. NO!" he said through clenched teeth as he skidded to a halt in front of a Dulwich Elder who clearly believed that children should be seen and not heard. I stopped breathing as I watched him lower his scruffy head into his hands and shakily and slowly exhale while his child started sobbing.

"Keisha May Mary Williams, will you PLEASE stop it. Right. This. Minute!"

Ahah, result!

11 comments:

Potty Mummy said...

Of COURSE! I was stumped too, btw...

Insomniac Mummy said...

I'd guessed she was a Keisha. I guess they didn't think that one through.

;)

thebakehouseboy said...

three weeks we have waited, three weeks and all we get is quiche!!!!

Kelly Innes said...

Oh my, how I laughed. Has made me rethink the rethinking of names for Babydeux though....

nappy valley girl said...

Keisha - hmm, doesn't sound quite Dulwich enough though, isn't Keisha one of the Sugababes?

I love the names you hear in certain parts of London. At one point Littleboy1's best friends at nursery were Otto, Monty and Harry - sounded like a 1940s RAF film! Here in New York they seem a little more conservative about names - lots of Matts, Gavins and Owens.

Nunhead Mum of One said...

PM....I didn't see that one coming!

IM....not really!

the bakehouseboy......sorry! Have you missed me? However, it made me crave your quiche. So I went in and bought some. And today, three jam doughnuts and a ham salad roll!

DG...be careful. And be very afriad!

Nappy Valley....the May helped I think, although I agree not very Dulwichian....perhaps they're more Herne Hill?

thebakehouseboy said...

Ah, ok forgiven then.

Lynda said...

Loved it! Don't know if it is the same in England but in parts of Australia there could be an extra laugh with the spelling of the names. Keisha May Mary Williams could become Quishia Mai Merri Williams or Keeesha Maaai Mairy Williams or heaven only knows what else - all in pursuit of standing out from the crowd. Years ago I taught a class with 5 or 6 girls called Amy. Not one spelt their name the same way and not one was "Amy"!

Nunhead Mum of One said...

Thank you Bakehouseboy! Will be in tomorrow for a danish or two :-) going to Janey's for tea

Lynda.....the mind boggles!

Lilas Conuts said...

Hello from Nouméa
I had an Alfa Roméo once in one of my classes, kids should arrive with names attached ...

Working Mum said...

Ha ha! Quiche! Can't believe you followed them to find out the full name though! I've taught a Merlin and a Vogue. Should keep a list - make a good blog post.

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Nunhead, London, United Kingdom
I'm a mum of one, wife of one and owner to several dogs, a variety of breeds and sizes. I live in the up and coming area (or so they say) of Nunhead and have mad neighbours, strange friends and certifiable relatives. I shop locally, although I do defect to Sainsburys once a week - shoot me now local shopkeepers.