Once Upon a Time

in a time far away and behind me, which these days seems like most of my life, I made some unwise decisions. One of them was choosing a man that was definitely not marriage material. I should say that this could be said about me for a long time in my life but forging ahead, this story isn't about marriage nor the materials we were both cut from.

This story is about Charlotte Ann and Charlotte and Ann. Resurfacing from a marriage that lasted a little longer then it took the ink to dry on the certificate that certified we had done the deed, I attempted to re enter the work force through the job I had been doing before doing the marriage deed.

A nepotism policy was in place and I would have been denied employment had I applied for this job using my "Charlotte..........." name. A supervisor who worked there when I was previously employed, suggested I use an alias and that is exactly what I did. Anna Marie .......... was my new moniker.

Introduced as Ann to everyone I met after that and leaving the "Charlotte" name behind, I was able to secure a job and work there for years. I was working in the western states when this happened and everyone I met out west calls me "Ann"; when I pick up the phone and some one addresses me by "Charlotte", I know immediately whoever is calling is from the eastern part of the USA and an old friend or relative. It makes for a bit of confusion with old family/friends and western friends when their paths cross. Some of them are calling me "Charlotte" while the others are calling me "Ann". I just answer to both and have no problems with it. My mom hated it and I think my siblings think it's mighty odd to hear me being called "Ann".
This is just a clarification for friends that are confused by this; an explanation of sorts as to why they keep hearing a name they are not used to attaching to my face. There, it's done. All finished and the explanation will be logged here for future reference by anyone that might someday wonder why the two names.

Here's hoping I can remember one or the other and answer when called.