Sunday, October 6, 2013

Small Towns: Nicknames

I am not sure how some people get nicknames.   Our bigger small town has a number of characters.  Herbie, Boner, Wally, Hairlip and Weasel to name a few.  Now how the heck do you get the nickname Boner?  or Weasel?

Boner is a real person.  He owns a business in town and drives a golf cart back and forth from his home, where the yard is well kept and a flag is proudly displayed.

Boners trees

Boner’s trees had real pretty golden foliage the other day.

Boners tree and the water tower

We drove by once and turned around to get a shot of trees and the old water tower. The house with the green trim used to be a neighborhood grocery ( Nelson’s Grocery then Spaeth’s Grocery).   Far Guy’s Dad would write him a note and give him 15 cents, he would walk the half a block to buy his Dad cigarettes.

I am not sure how long that old water tower will be allowed to stand…progress you know.

Not to be left out we have a lady about town who is known as Crazy Mary. She used to visit me in the museum.  Musta been drugs that burned out her brain…her latest quest was feeding the homeless, she wanted to install a drive through window so they could be served faster.

Have you ever had a nickname? :) 

20 comments:

lisa said...

Yes, it is gummer. When I worked in the factory, my union steward spelled my name for an award and when they published it in the factory paper, my last name is Montgomery and it came out Montgomer. She just happened to be my best friend. She took off the first three letters and started calling me gummer. Weird! The trees sure are pretty this time of year, we have some pretty yellows.

Marty said...

My sister stuck me with the delightful nickname of Toad after I had mumps.

DJan said...

I shudder to think how Boner got his nickname. I've always nickname-less. My mother was called "Bitsy" because she was so small when she was a little girl. :-)

Primitive Stars said...

Oh Ya, that is one funny nickname, but then many are......My Grandpa called me Weasel when I was small, oh well, could have been worse.......Sunday Blessings Francine.

Travels with Emma said...

When I worked in corrections, I was known as the Bird Lady of Alcatraz. I think that's better than Boner.

Kathy said...

Moochie was my nickname when I was growing up. Sometimes they would change it to Cowie. Not sure how it came about. Something about the Mickey Mouse Club on TV and/or mooching off of people for hugs and kisses or stuff they had that I wanted....maybe?

Country Gal said...

Lovely photos ! Yup I have had plenty of nick names over the years . Shortstop was the main one then I had Pit bull by some at work when I was in warehousing and retail lol my dad always called me Miss muffet when I was a little girl , our oldest son calls me Mama bear or Mummsy and hubby I call Papa who calls me Mama . Nick names are funny and some can be down right weird lol ! Thanks for sharing . Have a good day !

Harriet said...

My nickname was "Sparky"............got me????!!!!!

NCmountainwoman said...

A friend nicknamed Boner said he got it at scout camp. He slept on his back and the other boys woke before he did and were laughing at the little tent on his sheet.

Nancy said...

I am amazed no one has climbed the old water tower to paint graffiti on it.

Red said...

I've had a few nicknames and I did a post on nicknames. I think every town has a crazy somebody or other. My high school nick name was Pop. My family nick name was Grandfather.

Muffie said...

My Dad called me "Puddin'" or "Doll." If he used my real name, it meant I was in trouble! My husband gave me this "Muff,"or "Muffie" name, and it stuck. Now I love hearing my little guy call me "Nanny!"

Gail said...

Abigail and Gabby...don't know how in the world they came up with Gabby for me! Hubby calls me Sunshine...on a good day.

Far Guy said...

In those days if you made a silly mistake you "pulled a boner' I can't remember it ever having any sexual connotation towards him.

Anonymous said...

Would you believe that in 4th grade we were watching a "film strip" about weasels. The class clown decided that I looked like WEASEL!!!!!! Even in college, a few girlfriends lovingly called that!

Cynthia said...

I was cLled String Bean, for reasons that are, sadly, no longer obvious!
My favorite town character was Willy Lump Lump. He had a club foot, rode a bicycle with a huge basket and gunny sacks hanging off, and picked up trash along the "highway" or major road that ran through town.

Rita said...

I've been called Sunshine quite a few different times in my life--often by people I worked with or for.
My very first love called me Snowflake because he said that I was unique and if anyone tried to really hold onto me or possess me that I would disappear and slip right through their fingers.
When I waitressed at truck stops the truckers used to call me Legs.
When I lived on the streets for a summer when I was a teenager they called me Sunshine or The Mad Hugger.
My dearest friend who died in February used to call me RitaPetita.
But I've never had a particular nickname that stuck.

Terry and Linda said...

Sissy! I was called Sissy for the longest time, because my brother couldn't say my name, but he could say Sissy.

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com

carrington said...

I was 'Beaner' when I was a kid . . Thanks to my brother. I WAS very thin back then. I even remember my mother taking me to the doctor t get pills to make me hungry so I would eat more and gain weight.

thecrazysheeplady said...

I've had a couple nicknames over the years, but I like thecrazysheeplady the best :-).