What’s My Name?

CHARACTERS:

Man: A 62-year-old man, dressed in a slightly rumpled suit, carrying a briefcase.

Agent: A clerk at a government office, efficient and friendly.

SETTING: A sterile, brightly lit office with a counter and a few chairs.

AT RISE: Man approaches the counter nervously. Agent looks up with a smile.

Man: Hi.

Agent: Hi, what’s your name?

Man: I’m Werjhbfkudvnjd

Man attempts to pronounce the name, but it’s a jumbled mess. Agent raises an eyebrow, trying to keep a straight face.

Agent: That’s quite a name.

Man: That’s why I’m here. I need a revision.

Agent: No, you don’t. You just need a name change.

Man: I can do that?

Agent: Of course, as long as you’re over 18, and I’m sure you are.

Man: Yes, I’m 62. I thought I needed to revise my entire life, and I thought that might take too long. It is quite a relief that I can just change my name.

Agent: That would definitely take a long time.

Man: This is such a relief. I can’t tell you how much trouble my name has given me.

Agent: I can imagine—it’s lacking vowels.

Man: Yes, people didn’t know what to call me growing up. I got teased a lot.

Agent: I can imagine. But how did you get a name like that?

Man: I was told that the clerk had narcolepsy and they fell asleep while typing my birth certificate.

Agent: Surely your parents could have amended it.

Man: Surely they could have, but they didn’t. They thought it was quirky. But I’m a patent inspector. I’m not quirky. It’s made it hard for me to get jobs. But I finally figured out that I could use a cover letter so that I could explain my name. That’s how I got my job.

Agent: But what did people call you?

Man: Werjhbfkudvnjd

Agent: Didn’t you have a nickname?

Man: I never thought about it. What could be a nickname for Werj—

Agent: (Interrupting) I get it, I get it. Okay. So what do you have in mind?

Man: I can pick any name?

Agent: Sure, it’s your name.

Man: Wow. Okay. I’d like to name myself… Oh, this is so exciting… Normal.

Agent looks confused.

Agent: Do you mean Norman?

Man: No! Normal. That’s my name. I love it. Thanks for your help!

Man beams and exits, leaving Agent shaking their head in amusement.

BLACKOUT