Hi, I'm Melissa. Or Not.
I keep ending up with really random stuff in my car. This is not at all different from usual as it's not uncommon to find a lone sock, a pile of glitter, and enough crumbs to make dinner. Lately, though, I've upped the ante with a variety of work things. They're very random, trust me.
Part of the collection of random things were in a box. The box happened to be labeled with my name, except not. For some reason, for as long as I can remember, if people have gotten my name wrong, they've called me "Melissa."
Seriously.
My entire life.
Either people get it right and call me "Michelle" or the get it wrong and I'm "Melissa." Always Melissa. There are no other names that get attached to me.
So there was a box and it said it was for "Melissa" and Alexis saw it. Her head exploded from the fact that it isn't my name. She thought it was hilarious that someone couldn't remember my real name. Which, it's no big deal in my head. At least when people get it wrong I still know to answer because Melissa. ALWAYS MELISSA.
I explained as much to Alexis. I gave her a short list of some of the people who have called me Melissa. The list includes family, friends, total strangers, co-workers, and lots of people who Alexis has met over the years.
She was stunned. How is it possible that it's ALWAYS the same?
We left the conversation with a debate. I say it's a thing. There are lots of people who have a not-name that is consistent. She says that's crazypants. What say you, internet?
Tuesday, October 11, 2016
Reader Comments (21)
Yes. For me, it's either Ellen or Elaine. All the time.
My name is Debra and I always get Barbara. Occasionally I will get Brenda.
I get Vanessa. Every. Time. It's eerie. My name is Nicole, but even strangers know I'm not a Nicky/Nikki. Apparently I'm Vanessa.
My name is Jamie and I always get called Sarah, it's not even similar so I have no idea how it started.
Tiffany. Always alway always Tiffany.
I don't see how I can ever call you anything but Melissa from now on.
Stephanie...which isn't even close to Lindsay. It doesn't even make sense!
My name is also Michelle, and I have a cousin named Melissa and my boss is named Melissa so I get called Melissa all the time.
I rarely get a totally wrong name but people ALWAYS shorten it without asking. I get Beth and Liz all
the time.
I have been called Ruth and Debbie and Ruben. Ruben came from a substitute teacher who was taking roll. Knowing the order of the roll after a pause and almost being marked absent I slowly raised my hand and hesitantly asked, "Uhm -- did you mean Robin?"
The real name is Harry. I get Frank, always Frank.
I'm Sarah & I get Sherri. It's make more sense to be Tara or Cara but Sherri. Always.
My name is Lisa. My brother's name is Stephen. Due to our non-traditional and hard-to-pronounce last name, all strangers think our names are Michelle and Michael. When someone calls for Michelle in a room empty of Michelles, I always know they're asking for me, to the bafflement of everyone who knows my real name. My brother's most common nickname at work is now Mike-Steve.
Silly people. Your name is ANNE. ;)
becky here. i always get debbie. or the rare vicki. but all the time with the debbie!
I am a Michele and I have been called Melissa by people my entire life, too! I answer to it all of the time; it doesn't phase me at all anymore! It must be a thing! I just don't get it!
I'm Kassandra....and I get Barbara. Which is my mother's name. It started with my grandma who had dementia/alzheimer's and got us confused. I'm so used to it I answer to it these days.
Yep. Always Jessica
Always Melanie. This makes sense from people who know me, with my Mom's name being Melanie, but I also frequently get it from people who do not know this fact.
Yup. My name is Taylor, but I get "Cara" every time.
Sharon or Susan, my name is Sandra! The weird thing is my parents couldn't decide between Sharon or Susan and so chose Sandra. But people don't know that