FUNNY NAMES

As I was skimming the Chicago Sun-Times headlines, I came across the name 'Preckwinkle'. Well...it caught my eye. The article talks about Toni Preckwinkle and how she came to be a new Chicago alderman. I believe 'alderman' is Chicago talk for 'county council' member or some local government position.

But it wasn't about Chicago...or...alderman that caught my eye. It was that name...'Preckwinkle'.

It took me back about 15 years, or so, ago when Cindy & I and four of our best friends went to Naples, Florida for a week. Mike...Vicky...Lisa...Vince...Dan...Cindy.

The six of us flew down to Ft. Myer's and were met by Mike's mom (she lived there at the time) and the 7 of us...and our luggage for a week...scrunched into her car...and took off for a house that we rented for a week near the beach in Naples.

While we were in the car...SCHRUNCHED...like I said...the traffic and scenes going by...and us giggling...and trying to work out Charlie-horses...I saw a small sign on the side of the road that read...SCHRIMPECKER.

That's all...'SCHRIMPECKER'.

I said the name out loud and asked if anyone else saw the sign. No one did...but we laughed...and laughed...and it became the 'catch word' for the entire week. If anyone did anything that caught the others' attention..."you SCHRIMPECKER" was shouted followed by hilarious laughter. During cookouts on the grill..."you SCHRIMPECKER". Playing euchre..."you SCHRIMPECKER". We laughed and laughed and laughed.

In fact, it has occasionally been the 'catch word' for these last 15 years. When we get together...there's a likelihood that the name...SCHRIMPECKER...might get thrown into the conversation.

Never again that week did I, or anyone else, see the name or a similar sign again. In the years that have followed...when any of us have returned to that area...none have seen the name or a sign bearing that name again.

But I SWEAR I saw it that day. Maybe I was hallucinating...maybe it was a cramp...in my head...but I don't think so.

Our week together that fall was, arguably, the best vacation that the six of us have ever had. We ate, swam, played cards, walked, and just had the most fun 6 people could have. And having that goofy name that was imagined...or concocted...just gave us all something special to remember about that week.

No matter what...it is a name that...when I'm lying on my death bed...and one of those 5 comes to see me and mentions the name...SCHRIMPECKER...I'm gonna have to laugh out loud.


Dan