[SiVal]

Many years ago Safeway, a commonly seen grocery store in the US, started using a Safeway Card to gather data on its customers. Shoppers get lower prices if they use it, so I filled out my paper form. Some non-English speaking data entry clerk in Mexico somehow mistook my middle initial for an "Os" and prepended it to my last name, creating quite a tongue twister.

Safeway checkout clerks are apparently required to thank me by name, using the name that pops up on their screens when I swipe my card. For nearly twenty years now, all over the country, every harried Safeway checker has sent me on my way with, "Thank you Mr., uh, Asperger", or "Thanks, um, Mr. Ostrich", or whatever that bizarre cluster of letters randomly turned into on the way out of their mouths.

At first, I thought I should fix it, but I quickly grew to enjoy the show. I also enjoy the thought of them trying to cross-match Mr. Asperger with other consumer databases.

[jacques_chester]

Some of us get to enjoy name-mangling theatre on all social occasions.