Why is it that we associate certain attributes with certain names? For example, why is it that Jack is proficient in all trades but not Jerome? Why is Dan so Dapper, but not Donald? Maybe it has something to do with the way it sounds. For instance, Billy Bear sounds okay, but Teddy Goat just doesn’t come across right. Some names are very strong, diligent and courageous: Victor or Will! And some are not so vigorous such as what I’m about to do: Peter-out.
But to be Frank, I think that the Toms of this world always come up a quart low on the dip stick of life. Let’s face it, a Tom Cat is a horn-dog and a Peeping Tom is a pervert. Every “Tom, Dick and Harry” is about as common as you can get (sorry Dick and Harry, but notice who is listed first). Even the Bible comes after us Toms by giving us the skeptical nickname; I think that an alliterative Doubting Douglas has a better ring to it, don’t you agree?
I wanted to demonstrate that I’m able to overcome all these derogatory nicknames, so I thought I’d conclude with the – at least the somewhat – valiant slogan, “I think I can, I think I can,” but then discovered that it was “The Little Engine that Could” and not Thomas the Tank Engine that made that quote famous. So, I guess I’ll just retire to my den and beat on my Tom-Tom.
… Tom