Thursday, July 16, 2015

It's Cherry, Not Sherry!



For as long as I can remember I have had to explain to people how to  pronounce my name.  It's spelled Cherri, so I understand when they see it written they might think it's pronounced Sherry or Sherie' (with the emphasis on "rie.")  Frequently, though, I am misunderstood when I introduce myself and I always take great pains to speak clearly.  It goes something like this:


Me:  Hi, I'm Cherri

Them:  Did you say Sherry?

Me:  No, Cherry.

Them:  Jeri?  Terry?

Me:  No, Cherry. With a C-H.

Them:  Cheryl?  Sharon?  Charity?

Me:  No, Cherry, like on top of an ice cream sundae.

Them:  Oh, Cherry!  That's such a pretty name.

Me:  Thank you

Then, that person will proceed to call me Sherry for the next three years until I decide to correct them again.

It recently occurred to me that, 100 years from now, people will be strolling through the cemetery and see a tombstone that reads, "Here lies Cherri...." and they will say, "Hmmm - Sherry, how strange that she has a purple tombstone."  (I really like purple so....)

Anyway, my ghost will become so incensed at the mispronunciation that I will rise up and haunt that person for the rest of the day - maybe causing them to spill cherry soda on their nice linen slacks. (I imagine that's what they will be wearing for a visit to the cemetery).

I thought that if I changed the ending of my name, people would understand how to pronounce the beginning of my name.  So, I looked into the steps involved in a legal name change.  It is quite a process.  I would have to fill out a petition and a legal order for name change, get the forms notarized, get fingerprinted, file all the paperwork at the county courthouse and pay over $200.  Then, I would have to appear before a judge to explain myself.  I would be a little embarrassed trying to explain all this to a judge. I'm sure she (or he) has much more important matters to deal with than me trying to get people to say my name right.

The other day I answered the phone at work and this time things were different.

Me:  Thank you for calling Sunny's Liquor, Cigar, Wine, Keg, and Beer Emporium.*  This             is Cherri, how my I help you?  (*Not my actual place of employment)

Caller:  Did you say Cherry?

Me:  Why, yes I did.

Caller:  Oh, my goodness.  My best friend is named Cherry and I've never heard of      
              anyone else with that name.

Me:  Wow!  That is so weird.  I've never head of anyone with that name either.

Caller:  Her middle name is Beth.

Me:  What?  That's amazing, my middle-name is Beth too.  (weird coincidence)

Caller:  It is?  How strange.

Me:  Yep, Beth, not Elizabeth, just Beth.

Caller:  Wow - There's another Cherry Beth in the world.  I'll have to tell my friend.  Do you              spell it with a Y.

Me:  No, I spell it with an I at the end.

Caller:  Oh....  (awkward pause)   Anyway, I was calling to speak to Sunny.  Is she in?

Me:  Please hold.

                                                                                    
This actually happened earlier this week. Strange but true.


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