Thursday, August 21, 2008

What's in a name?

I've been thinking a lot about names, lately, because I've been dreaming up new characters.

The guy came this morning to service the boiler. He's called Bob. I whispered to Dave: "Are you sure it's the same guy who came before? I don't remember him as tall and slender with glasses and grey hair." I was expecting him to look different.

"Of course he's the same guy."

And now I've remembered another Bob I know, who is tall and slender with grey hair and glasses. Maybe I need a new stereotype. I always think of Bobs as being short and squat, with dark hair, and possibly rather angry. But Bobs aren't at all the same as Roberts, or Robs. Why is that?

p.s. here are my two grandsons, who like a very different Bob (Bob the Builder.)

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