Pat?

Approximately half of the people in our church call me “Pat”. The other half haven’t met me yet. We meet people, we get introduced as “Pat and Ellen”. The next time I see them they say, “Hi Pat.”

I’ve given up and just say, ‘hi’ back.

I joined a Nordic walking group. The trick is to not trip over your walking sticks and wear the proper clothes, because in Scotland the weather is always just fine for a walk. The walking group is run by a gal from church. A few months ago, I was walking with her sister and another lady. They were keeping me company in the ‘slow lane’.

Gal #1 says to me, “How’s your husband, Sam?”

I said, “Pat”.

Gal #2 says, “What?”

“My husband’s Pat.”

Gal #2, “I’m Pat.”

Gal #1, “Your husband’s name is Pat?”

“Yes, Pat”

Gal #1, “Oh! I wonder what it’s short for?”

“Hmmm, Patrick.”

Gal #1, “Ahhhhh…”

She still called me Pat for a few more weeks and so did her sister.

Last week we were the greeters at church. Plenty of opportunity for people to say ‘hello to Pat’, we’re just not sure who they were talking to.

The Pastor even confessed to us, that he knows my name is ‘Ellen’, but he has a hard time calling “Pat” by his name as in Scotland it is considered a girl’s name.

I just say ‘hi’ whenever I am called “Pat” and Pat….

he’s thinking of going by his middle name and everyone can call him

‘Jimmy,’ but with a Scottish accent so it sounds more like ‘Jimmah’.

Well, what can we say, spring is here, Scotland is beautiful and we are blessed.