Name Calling

There is this young woman who works in “Utility”. She washes the stacks of dirty dishes/cups, 10+ hours a day! - bless her heart. One day she looks at me and says you look like my mother. She proceeded to show me a picture of her mother, and we do resemble each other somewhat. As a result, she now calls me “Auntie”. I thought how nice it was she thought of me as kinfolk. Since that day, there is a group of 20 Somethings who call me “Auntie”. I’m just rollin’ with it. I consider it as high praise and a demonstration of respect.

There is one young man in particular, though has NEVER called me Auntie, yet I had the rare privilege of standing as his Auntie. His mother died of a sudden heart attack, Friday. So I helped this dynamic, bright, fun loving, young man cope with his tragic grief by helping him with arrangements, packing his bags, and signing off the ship.

There is another woman who works on the ship and everytime I see her I swear I’m looking at myself in 15 years! We look that much alike. All staff have commented to either one of us about our “Twin”. So now we call each other “Sister Twin”. I like her immensely.

Then there is the Hawaiian/Korean/Filipino group that call me “Sister”. Not sure when this started, but I realize I’m just answering to it like I would my own name. It’s nice.