I Want My Exotic Name To Be Magdalena...

...Or Maybe Svetlana. Or Natalia.

Okay, I admit it. I love the sound of Spanish names. Italian names too. Actually, anything other than the very American sounding name I have. Russian names are awesome.

We are at our favorite pizza joint, and my daughter Mandy and her boyfriend have joined us for some slices. My mother-in-law happens to be there that night too, and she comes over to say hello.

As she is recounting the events of her day, another regular stops in, an unusually graceful man named David. His teeth are a crooked mess, but he is the most impeccable dresser, he is always clean-shaven, and his strut is made for the catwalk. He is such an animated character. We love this guy.

So he stops by our booth to say hello as well. Sean introduces David to his mother.

“Well!” David declares. “You have such an exotic look about you! I would have thought your name was Margarita!”

He says this with much flair. He even rolls the r.

“You can call me Margarita if you want to!” Sean’s mom says with a wink.

Mandy leans over to me and whispers, “I want him to name me!”