I was at Staples today and the cashier was looking up my Staples Rewards card by my last name. I began spelling my last name for her, in the way that I had learned when I was a child listening to my mother spelling our last name for others. I said “S as in Sam, w, e…..”.
    I couldn’t help but notice on her computer screen was a very very long last name ; Sasinsamwe…”.
    I paused, and then began to explain that the S as in Sam was to clarify that the first letter was s, not f, as they both sound very similar. As the young lady looked at me, I asked her to skip the Rewards Card. I suddenly felt like I was in a time warp; at least completely in another world from this young lady. And our ages aren’t even that far apart, but, just enough, I see.