Tip o’ the Tongue

My dad just about got me in trouble the other night and he wasn’t even there to do it!

 

How? You ask. Well first let me take you back to my days in Hinesville, Georgia while I attended Hinesville Middle School. A school that always reminded me of a box of crayons. My fellow classmates of HMS will understand the simile. Hello Georgia friends and possible readers of this blog. Anyway, I take you back more years than I’ll mention….

A younger Dad says to a younger Annette:

“Annette, a man was visiting his brother’s family for a few of weeks vacation. The visiting brother was about to become an uncle as his brother’s wife was very pregnant with twins and her due date was quickly approaching. The married brother was glad to have his brother visiting during this time because he was very busy with work and was worried that his wife would have to go to the hospital alone when the time came to deliver the babies. 

 

“One day, the wife was making lunch and she went into labor. Luckily, the visiting brother was around and drove his brother’s wife to the hospital. After unsuccessfully trying to reach his brother for hours, the uncle was asked into the delivery room to help the wife during the delivery. After birthing the twins, the wife passed out due to intense pain and exertion. She had given birth to a beautiful little baby girl and a handsome little baby boy. 

 

“The nurse asked the uncle for the children’s names so that she could put on the name bracelets and take the children to the newborn nursery. When the uncle reflected, he realized he did not know the intended names of the children. 

 “‘My brother and his wife never told me the names they had picked out.” 

“‘Well, I have to put their names down. I am sure they wouldn’t mind that you name them for them! You were such a big help during delivery.”

“‘Oh I don’t know…” the brother said. “I think we should wait.” 

“‘I’m sorry, I wish we could, but I must know what to put on the birth certificates and name bracelets. You must choose.”

 “The uncle pondered for a little bit. What should I name these beautiful  little creatures? Suddenly, the uncle smiles to himself. ‘I have it. The little girl will be named ‘Deniece.’ 

“‘Oh, how lovely. And her brother?’ asked the nurse. 

“The uncle smiled again,’Denephew.'”

I was working the other night when a woman comes into H & R Block and asks to setup an appointment. I take her information and enter it into the computer system. She says her name is Denise Cobb. So I put in her information. When nothing populates in our system, I ask her if I had spelled her name correctly. D-E-N-I-S-E. She said “Actually, I spell it: D-E-N-I-E-C-E.”

Thanks, Dad, it was on the tip of my tongue to ask her if she had a brother named Denephew.