re: #185 Eclectic Cyborg

True story…

When I was in the Army I attended Officer’s Basic with an immigrant from Thailand who had a very long Thai last name, ‘Arnoukounpittaya’ iirc. It was always interesting to be in formation at Zero-Dark-Thirty and watch the sergeant stuck with calling roll stumbling over his name. Particularly because his name was the first on the roster.

After a few failed tries the sergeant would usually fall back on Lt. ‘Alphabet’.

The ‘Thai-guy’ was a really nice, quiet and extremely competent guy. (And prior enlisted serviceman.) He never said a word about this issue.

Years later when I bumped into him, he had changed his name to ‘Jones’. I respect that change. Sometimes life is too short and there are too many other issues to address, to die on that hill.