Just to be sure - make it three!

Flashback: After office, five of us headed to Figaro for coffee and snacks. We were checking out the newly purchased cellphone of a colleague plus and feasted on badminton gossip (plus the pasta and cakes, of course!). I vaguely recall who asked who's cellphone number but the alaskahan went on like this: "Glenn, ano ba spelling ng name mo? Isang n ba o dalawa?" as I was tinkering on my address book to add his name. And before Glenn could answer, Ruby sarcastically said, "Gawin na lang kaya nating tatlo yung n para sigurado." Tawang-tawa ako sa punchline ni Ruby! So, the entry on my phonebook - Glennn. Just to be sure.

Fast forward: One afternoon at the badminton court, I was sitting in the match control table, waiting for my turn to play as I already queued for the next game. The queueing system that time was writing down your name, plus the rest of the quorum. So, while waiting for my turn, I was cheerfully heckling the people who were playing that time - heckle here, heckle there. And then, someone approached the match control. A tall-balding (hindi bading ha, balding)-foreign male specie. Sabi ko, "Naku, mukhang serious player ito a." He got the pencil and started to write his name on the queue paper. Since I didn't know him, I just continued watching the players. He started writing, D-e-n-n, then erased one n, and then, he paused. With his head bent down, he asked to no one in particular, "How do you spell Dennis' name? Is it just one n or two n?" I gleefully replied, "Hmmmm (kunwari malalim ang iniisip)... you know what, just to be sure - make it three!" And he looked up to me. His face expressionless. I had no way of telling if he got my punchline or was pissed off. Oh well. Dalawang "n" na nga baka mahampas pa ako ng raketa.

Vicky

As of this day, I still wonder why many, if not all, misspell my nickname. Walang palya. Every time I order a meal or a drink and I have to give out my name - it's often spelled out as Vicky. But, mind you, they pronounce it correctly! It's true. It has become a challenge to me who'd get my name correctly the first time. It used to irritate me but it has become a source of entertainment. At Starbucks, it was spelled as - Vhecky. Can you believe that? Pinoy na pinoy and dating, no? I'm not kidding. Should have saved that cup for evidence! Often times, I have to spell it out so they get it right. Pero nagkakamali pa rin. I'd say, "B-e-c-k-y." "Ma'm, V po ba?" As politely as possible, I'd say, "Hindi, B as in boy." "Ah, okay. B po. B-i-c-k-y?" Oh well. Anna na nga lang para madali.