The Raglans Of Life

 

Drugget Handwork and Imagery

When I was much younger, I wanted people whom I knew to read my blog. I soon discovered the down side. Who can count the times I have heard the following:

"Montag, you have more spelling errors in your blog."
or
"Montag, don't you proof read the things you write?"
or
"Montag, you have more factual errors in the blog."

Now I say that no one has to read it. In fact, I would prefer it if certain people did not. Go find some other congenial spot to spend your time; find something you like, a blog which soothes the soul and takes those worrisome furrows from the worried brow.

She-who-must-be-obeyed summoned me one morning. She was, so I found out, reading my post Florida , and had some inputs. Since it was a reprint, I have to assume she missed it first time around.

"Montie, in this story, you obviously want to portray the mother of Lizard Breath and Gecko Eyes as being wealthy and upper class. Yet, you have her call one of her daughters Madison."

I stood there, sort of silent, waiting for the punch line to develop. At length, I had to tilt my head a bit and plastered some sort of inquisitive look on my face, and let an "Ummmm?" sort of ooze out.

"Madison is not a highfalutin name. It is definitely lowfalutin."

She did not use the terms "highfalutin" nor "lowfalutin", but I do so to save me the trouble and ire of anyone who reads this. When I talk or write of social class distinctions, I would prefer to resemble Pat Buttram or Minnie Pearl rather than Karl Marx.

"Oh...?' I said. I think that pretty well summed it up, too. It said about all I had to say.

I did add, "I thought 'Madison' was a bit spiffy.... not magna cum spiff, but definitely on the snazzy side of spiffitude de rigeur."

"No. It is like.... oh, Trinity." she intoned.

"Trinity?" I positively goggled at that one. "What does that refer to?"

"I should think the divine Trinity."

"Oh," I said, "not the atomic bomb test?"
I said this even though I cannot imagine why the atomic bomb test in July of 1945 would be deemed appropriate for a young girl's name. Of course, I still cannot get the propriety of the Christian Trinity's use as a name. Naming conventions are not my strong suit.

"Give me some examples of highfalutin names," I asked.

She pondered briefly. "Whitney, Carson,... India,... Sloan..."

"Sloan?!" I said. "Like Edgar Sloan?"
It reminded me of her aunt Marcella, nee Sloan in Pontiac County, Quebec. I had returned from visiting The Pontiac one summer, and I mentioned to her I had met her brother, Edgar.

"Oh, wonderful, " she said. "Which one?"

That event had a profound effect on me, and the name "Sloan" has a mighty baraka and aura about it. Marcella was a wonderful, blessedly simple (in the Amish sense) woman, God rest her soul. (note: I believe the explanation was she had a half-brother and full brother both named Edgar.)

I was indeed a product of the middlefalutin. Our names are plain and homespun, like the burrel and drugget  raglans of our lives.

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