Meaning of a Name

By Icka! M. Chif

What is in a name? 

Does it define who you are? Or what experiences shape your destiny? Or is it simply something to label you out of the masses as an individual so that the human population is not reduced to shouted 'Hey, you! No, not you, the other you' when attempting to contact a friend?

My name is Doctor Erica Slate. But I am not always called that.

When I was younger, I was just plain simple Erica. Or Eric, as some of the peskier neighbourhood kids would taunt me with. But to the majority of the people around, I was Erica.

The rare minority was my family. To my parents, I was 'Sweetheart', 'Pumpkin' or 'Honey'. Unless I got into trouble, of course. Then I was 'Erica R. Slate, front and center right this minute!'

My Grandfather used to call me 'His Darling'. His darling. No one else's. 

When I grew up and got into college, I gained the nickname 'E'. Short for Eyes, Ears, Ergonomics and a few other things I hope never become public knowledge or I will never be able to live it down the duration of my career at Q.U.A.R.K..

Then I earned my Doctorates and gained a new name. 'Doctor'. 

To the public eye now, that is what I am. Dr. Erica Slate, a genius spoken about usually with a hushed tone of awe usually reserved for the Pope or George Lucas. Someone who has somehow surpassed being human in the public eye and gone on to be more myth than man. Or woman, in my case.

Then came Rusty. He calls me by my formal name 'Dr. Slate'. And somehow, when he says it, it takes on a deeper meaning. Somehow, when Rusty says 'Dr. Slate', it actually means 'Mom'. I didn't intent for that when I created Rusty, but now I wouldn't change it for the world.

Lt. Dwayne gave me another name as well. 'Doc'. To most people, I suppose it would be an insult, but coming from him, it isn't. I invited him to call me by my first names a few times, but he won't. It's his way of acknowledging my title while at the same time keeping the casualness of my first name. Like he's acknowledging my brains while also admitting I'm human.

He's also the only one allowed to call me that.

Dr. Donovan has gotten into the habit of dropping everyone's title and just calling them by their last name. Which means that he calls me 'Slate'. It's an arrogant method for him to remind us all who is holding the purse strings on our projects. Occasionally Dr. Donovan will use the title 'Doctor'. It's Donovan-speak for 'I'm Screwed', in which case he want some one to get him out of trouble so he can take the credit for it.

His monkey calls me 'Four Eyes'. I'm not really sure when that started, or why, but it means exactly what it sounds like. Sometimes I think Jenny is the physical embodiment of Dr. Donovan's metaphorical chip on the shoulder. 

Either that or Jenny is her own chip on his shoulder. I'm sure she'd prefer to be thought of as such.

Some of my older colleagues call me Erica as well. They're the ones who where at Q.U.A.R.K. when I first started and are in a way my extended family. We all try to watch out for each other, at least the best we can.

And the ones who try to get a bit too familiar with my name, well, there's something else that has another nickname for me. A squeak. And that usually pretty much puts and end to that use of my name.

The Squeakys are still around, and keeping an eye on me. It took a while for me to convince them that it was okay for me to be around and occasionally touch Rusty and Lt. Dwayne, but anyone else tends to suddenly find new meaning to the term 'spit shined'. And some how, I can't complain.

It's not your name itself that defines who you are, I've discovered. It's how it's used, and who uses it that makes it special. And that's what's important.

Otherwise, a name isn't a Name. 

It's merely a word.

Fin.