What’s in a name?
(This was a speed writing assignment during the Ochre Sky Memoir Writing Workshop with the prompt “the interesting thing about my name is..”)
The interesting thing about my name is it’s got eight letters, which makes it easy to divide it into two equal parts.
That is, if you belong to the South of Vindhyas and appreciate the fact that we like our names sounding well rounded and balanced; and add an “h” to follow our “ts”.
I am Gayatri for most of my North Indian friends, unless they are already aware of how things go around here when it comes to names; and Gayathri for most of them from the South.
Ever since I realised that about my name, I automatically calculate in my mind if anyone’s name has got odd number or even number of letters.
But I don’t judge the odd numbered names. They have someone in the middle who does the balancing between the two halves.
I also notice that about other things. My apartment complex has seven towers. And when I walk around the apartment, and reach tower 4, I look at tower 4 and say, “You, you are the man in the middle eh? Good job. Keep the balance going in the universe.”
By the way, did you know universe has eight letters. Just like my name has.
