What's in a name?

Now don't get me wrong, there's absolutely nothing wrong with my name, and I don't plan to change it, but in the words of Daffy Duck, "This is getting ridiculous!" (Pardon my spit.)

My full name is on the terror watch list. Now, others and I don't really fault them on this, I get grumpy standing in those lines and having my personal space violated on the planes, but it is annoying to be on that list...

There is a guy in town that owns a bunch of apartments. He is often found at the city council meetings foaming at the mouth about one thing or another. If I decide to write an email to the mayor or councilwoman here, I introduce myself as "Not that other guy."

There is a kid who still lives or used to live around here who is involved in some pretty signifigant credit fraud. I started getting calls from collectors about the time I took the unlisting setting off with the phone company. Most of the calls go something like this: "This is so and so from such and such credit agency." I say: "Can I give you the last 4 digits of my Social Security number?" They say: "Sure, go ahead" I say: "****" They say: "OK, thank you for you time.", and they hang up. Today we got a letter from a collection agency in Williamsville, NY. At first sight, I thought it was a doctor's bill or something, and asked Tara if we had been to the doctor while we were in Buffalo. I called them, and the conversation lasted only as far as the last 4 digits of my social security number. Most of the time it's amounts below $500, I don't know he he figures that's his limit per card, or what. (Is it a Small Claims Court thing?) Anyway, maybe I should be proactive and try to find the guy, just so people stop bugging me. Or maybe I should go back to an unlisted number.

The guy in the desk nex to mine and me share the same first name and first initial of the last name. People come in and ask for us, we both answer. (We think it's funny.) If he calls me, I ask him if he wants me or he wants himself.