The Namesake Muddle

Image Source: www.drsfostersmith.com

I have earlier also written about my so dear Mickey, our pet dog, and the emotional bonding I shared with him. This time it’s again about him but something that still makes me laugh.

Mickey was a darling and somehow we faced strange issues with his name. He was with us ever since he was born and we could think of no better name than this, being my favourite cartoon character.

We were in Delhi’s defence colony at that time and had a vet right infront of our house. When Mickey had his vaccination due he was taken to the vet and when I was there getting his injections done, doc’s son came running, and the doc said, “Mickey, you are going to play. Come before it gets dark”.

I was shocked when I realized his son’s name was the same as was that of my dog! After the vaccination when the doc asked ‘patient’s name’, and I was quick to say, Micku! I had to change his name just to save myself from an embarrassing situation and for the two years we stayed there he was Micku for his doctor.

Later we shifted to Chandigarh and Mickey was still with us. I would often play with him in the backyard and at home also we would often call him by his name as he was as close as our family member.

After a few months a couple residing in a house on our back was blessed with a son. They were not known to us personally. Probably that’s why they had no clue that it was our dog and not a child who was called Mickey.

Very soon we could hear them also calling our dog’s name and soon we found out it was the pet name of their son. Again we were caught up in the ‘namesake muddle’, but could do nothing except get amused whenever we saw our dog running in the backyard when the couple would call their son Mickey!