If you are like me, you have a special attachment to your name. I’m proud of my name. My name stands for ME. I hear my name and it is who I am. There is only one me. I would never change my name. For anyone. Period. In my world, my name represents who I am at any given moment.My name isn’t just a name… it is me.
My name is Tammy. Not Tamara. I don’t have a problem with the name Tamara. One of my best friends is named Tamara. I know two Tamaras as a matter of fact. But my name isn’t Tamara. It’s T A M M Y. Also, not Tami or Tammi. Once again, I’m fine with those spellings. It is who they are. Just not me.
My mother named me after the movie from the 60’s Tammy and the Bachelor. And yes, many an older man has sung the song to me through the years. Definitely creepy when I was in my teens and early 20s.
Ok, now with that said. I have a great story to share. I’ve told this story many times and people think it is hilarious. And it is 100% true.
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It was around 1994, I was a 27/28-year-old Store Manager for Home Depot. One night while working late, the phone operator popped his head in my office and said that I was going to love this call. A woman was on the phone, freaking out and wanted to speak to THEE Store Manager. 
I told him no problem, just shoot her over. He said you might regret it, then laughed as he left to go transfer the call.
Here is what happened next…
ME: Hi, this is Tammy how can I help you?
CRAZY LADY: Who is this? (with a mean tone)
ME: This is Tammy, how can I help you?
CRAZY LADY: I want to speak to the Store Manager! (even more irritated)
ME: Ma’am, my name is Tammy and I’m the Store Manager how can I help you? (trying to stay as nice as I can)
CRAZY LADY: You can’t be the store manager! I want to speak to the store manager!
ME: Ma’am, I promise you I am the store manager, how can I help you tonight? (now I’m starting to laugh inside)
CRAZY LADY: What is your name again?
ME: Ma’am, my name is Tammy, what can I do for you?
CRAZY LADY: That isn’t your name! What is your real name?
ME: Ma’am, my real name is Tammy how can I help you?
CRAZY LADY: WHAT IS THE NAME ON YOUR BIRTH CERTIFICATE!!!? (she punctuates each syllable in case I’m a little slow)
ME: (now a little irritated) Ma’am, my name is Tammy Adams and that is what is on my birth certificate. How can I help you today?
CRAZY LADY: Well you need to change it!
ME: (ok, I bite) Ma’am, why should I change it?
CRAZY LADY: No man is going to take you seriously with a name like that.
ME: (oh no you didn’t) Ma’am, I’ll keep that in mind, what can I do for you today? (before I say something I regret)
CRAZY LADY: You know, some people think I’m crazy, (some????) but I actually have an above average IQ. (you don’t say)
ME: That’s great, so ma’am what can I do for you today?
Twenty minutes into the call I learned she had a concern with the relocation of the store we were just starting. She felt the construction folks were about to create a massive catastrophe with the way they were building the berm for the dirt walls. I wont bore you with the rest of the story. But let’s just say this is how it ended….
CRAZY LADY: You know, you really should change your name.
ME: Yes ma’am, I’ll keep that in mind….
100% True Story – I Pinky Swear
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Thank you crazy lady, for giving me one of the best stories I get to tell through the years. And maybe, just maybe, this phone call helped reinforce my passion for what my name is.
~~~till we laugh again~~~
Tammy, oh Tammy, oh Tammy’s in love…. Tammmmy, Tammmmy, ,,, Tammmy’s in love. lol xxxx
did I bring back memories there mother? LOL 😀
What the hell? That is a crazy story. Did you ever ask her what her name was? Great post!!
After I realized how whacked she was, I just thought I’d see how long we would go back and forth. It was pretty funny. When she said some people think she is crazy, I soooo thought “noo shit???” LOL
It brings back the song, Tammy’s in love, a long time ago.
Yep, that’s what I heard sung a lot. Kinda catchy once I paid attention to it LOL
Tammy, Tammy, bo Banny Bonana fanna fo Fanny
Fee fy mo Manny, Tammy!
Wait! That’s a different song. Nevermind. HF
now that one, I didn’t get to hear as much.. never could figure out how to make it work. LOL
So we go into have dinner and I think..I’ll order a ‘Hurricane’..I’ve only had 2 before….a couple of days ago..and a couple of weeks before that my daughter-in-law made me..So the waitress brings me a drink and I say ..I’m sorry but I don’t believe this is a ‘hurricane’ ..it looks lke a strawberry daiquiri…She…being a sweet young thing…looks perplexed but then says I’ll go and ask the bartender ….and she disappears without the drink..comes back…they said they made a ‘hurricane’…I said but if they saw it..maybe…?? I say it’s supposed to have orange and pineapple juice which isn’t red..she kinda shrugs and says “well they said it’s a ‘hurricane’..and goes away and I kinda just sit..NOT very assertive eh?…she comes back and says..my manager says we probably make them a bit different…and then adds maybe they added some red coloring..I think but what about all the crushed ice and the thickness of it as well…but she adds “he said if you want something different I can get it for you”…:NOW the funny part…I’m so exhausted by all of this …instead of saying YES …I shake my head and say…”forget it, I’ll drink it”. …and then complain for the rest of the dinner to my husband saying “Why did I do that?”…….
By then it probably was too comical and just got to the point of whatever…But did it taste good? 😀
It was okay…but I was not about to enjoy it after all the the fuss I made…… :))
Oh how boring the world would be without the crazy people!! Awesomely funny story. 🙂
Crazy people make the world go round… 😀
that was just too funny. thanks for the giggles
Here to help everyone find their smile… Glad you liked it!
too cute tammy nice to meet ya lol
lol.m you too anonymous. 🙂
None of the names I use are on my birth certificate. It’s a long story & I would tell you, but then I would have to kill you LOL. Not really, but I have a stalker & I don’t want her to know who or where I am. Anyway, I remember Tammy & the Bachelor, Tammy & the Doctor. I used to love those movies!
now you seem to have a great story to tell one day. Lol
Maybe someday . . .
Great story. I am totally with you about the name thing. My name is Judy, not Judith or Judi or Judee. I will answer to Jude or Judes. I always get James Cagney “Judy, Judy, Judy”.
The kids at work will drive me nuts because they think it is funny to go Tammy, Tammy, Tammy until I answer. Lol
That is absolutely hilarious!!!!! Imagine if your name was something like Bambi (or Bamby…or God forbid, Bambey!!!). Thanks for my giggle, Tami…er….Tammi…er….Tammy! Yeah…TAMMY! 🙂
she would have really had a field day if I was a Bambie. Lol
Bamb”ie.” That’s funny! What if you’d had to spell it for her?? Hahha!
I had a strikingly similar conversation with a woman who refused to believe that the photo on my drivers licence was actually me, because in the photo I was wearing glasses. Who knew the whole Clark Kent takes off his glasses and no one recognizes him thing actually works.
To bad you didn’t have a superpower to zap her with.. LOL
Really??????
crazy huh? lol
For real, for real!
My name is Tiffany, but my mom is TAMMY! Yep, and guess how many times in my life I’ve been called Tammy? It really freaks me out when it happens by people who couldn’t begin to know who my mother is, they just keep thinking I’m a Tammy. ?? But, A Tiffany I will always be, just like the diamond! If only I could get my hands on that thing….
tiffany, tammy, it’s all a T to some… LOL
I never really liked the name Arthur, which is too bad, because it is my name. But people don’t get me confused with other people. I think lots of people do not like their names. But Tammy is a great name.
he is alive!!!!!!!!! :D. Ok, now that that is out of my system….. Arthur sounds so formal. My ex-brother in law was officially an Arthur. But went by Blue. Lol
I go by blue… straight to purple.
My nickname was Buzz… (I think the joke was that it was like naming your dog Woof)
I have been out of town at my brother’s wedding. I will have pictures of me in a suit very soon. I know, right?
Looking forward to it your story sharing
My brother’s name was ‘George Arthur Dennis’..but he was called Dennis (often called Denny)..problem always happens as with others when filling out applications and they ask for ‘first name’ it is not the name you are called and sometimes it is confusing….my husband’s name…get ready…is William Wallace Elwood Luther…and he is called Wally…that is confusing as his first name is another W. but not for Wallace…….ahhh is only parents would think before they do things like that!…Diane
Too funny. I love when someone’s nickname has nothing to do with thier real name. Always leaves me scratching my head.
My dad’s name is Arthur, but he uses Art all the time. My mother’s name is Dorothy, but she goes by Dot. So they are Dot & Art. Ha, ha!
Names are a funny invention.
Lolllll. Nothing funnier than Dot Art… My grandmother was named Dorothy and went by Dotty.
Great story! My name is John, and I always tell people that I’m of the opinion that there should be at least one John in every building.
sometimes 3 or 4. Lol