Nicknames

Well Today I give you a musical Tribute to Richard Sherman. Many of you will be asking, "Who is Richard Sherman?" I know this man's work. He became an important part of my life early in my childhood. As you read enjoy some of the songs from some of his many works that include: The Parent Trap, Robinhood, Aristocats, Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Winnie the Pooh, and many others. Of course the most significant in my mind would be the music from The Jungle Book.

Disney released The Jungle Book in 1967, the year I was born. My family went to see it (and according to legend) when they left the theatre everyone was talking about how cute the man cub was. My brothers, being protective, thought I was just as cute and began calling me Mowgli. According to my father, many experiences happened that tweaked my name. One of them was a day that I was "acting like an Ogre". My name became Moger the Ogre. Ultimately it worked into Mogie and has found a way to stick.

In first grade my mother was informed by the teacher that she did NOT believe in nicknames. On the first back to school night she came looking for her son, Quinton's desk. She could not find it, but did find a desk with Mogie on it. When she asked the teacher what happened she was told "He is definitely a Mogie". So there it was Mogie became official. In high school I had to request that my report cards be printed with my real name on them so I could have a legal record. At Graduation I had Quinton on my diploma. When I shook hands with the Principal he said " Oh it's you Mogie"

The name has created some unique experiences. As I am introduced to people you always get a "what?" expression from the face and usually mouth also. In High school I regularly received female hygiene product samples, because the companies had no idea what a Mogie was. In applying for College I was accepted into an all girls college in New York. I am sure I could have had a great time showing up and watching them scramble about what dorm to put me in.

When I got engaged I had a hard time with my father in law. It just seemed wrong to him to call me Mogie. It took a while to convince him that I liked it. When I graduated from College and was entering the "real" world, he talked to me and informed me that in the business world I would need to be more professional and would need to use my real name of Quinton. I actually somewhat agreed and figured I planned to apply with my real name just like I had with "official" things in school. At my Tax Commission interview, where I was ultimately hired, I sat down and the first question I was asked was, "Quinton, that is such a stuffy name. Do you have a nickname?" So goes my professional career. I am Mogie. My Boss changed jobs and I followed him. He did not know me as Quinton, only Mogie. So that is how he introduced me and I have never looked back. Most people at work do not even know that Mogie is not my real name.

Because of this I have always felt a strange bond to The Jungle Book and hence, appreciate Disney and the Sherman Brothers. Plus having a name of Mogie has allowed me to be more of a kid. Actually, it allows me to be anything I want because no one has any preconceived ideas about what a Mogie should be. I like being me.

I love the Sherman brothers and Disney. The only problem is the ending to The Jungle Book. A silly girl singing a song, dropping the water and tricking that innocent boy into throwing away all of life's adventures. But then again, that's life. Sooner or latter we men all fall for a pretty face (I Love You Karen).