nano encounters

This week I met a happy young man with a lovely smile and radiant face.  He helped me with some work and then I asked his name.  He said, “Saddam Hussein.”

Taken aback and certainly not expecting to hear that name I blurted, “Are you kidding me?”

He laughed and said, “No, that is my real name!”

Still stuck on the name, even though I should not be, I continued, “Why did your parents name you that?  Is your family name, Hussein, and they gave you the first name of Saddam and just by chance it matched up?”

He smiled and answered, “My father liked Saddam Hussein.  My family name is different.  I am called by my first and middle name together.  Everyone calls me, Saddam Hussein.”

Suddenly I felt like I had asked a stupid question. It was obvious that he was named after someone his father or mother liked, admired, or respected.  However, seeing his radiant face and then hearing that name matched up with it had derailed my thought process.

My mind wondered back to my 7th grade English Literature class and the lesson from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet which went, “What’s in a name?  That which we call a rose.  By any other name would smell as sweet…”

Ah, yes, Shakespeare was right!  A person’s name doesn’t matter as it doesn’t change who they are.

Shaking myself back on track, I firmly stated, “Well, let me tell you with 100% confirmation, that you are nothing like that man!  No match.”

He laughed and nodded in agreement.