Named Otherwise

Everyone has a cunning fellow in their heart. This cunning fellow is best when he comes out while still a child; or maybe in your teens. After being considered an adult, this cunning fellow is rather evil. Mine has not come out yet; it is just visiting from time to time, and it is called “je ne sais quoi”, or maybe having the luck of devil. So I am still on the good side of evilness.

I was not really at peace with my name when I was a child. My dad’s friends would ask me or my dad “What’s his name?” When he or I said Elvan, they would shriek with laughter first, then say: Why would you name your son Elvan? That’s a girl name! He will have so much trouble in future. I would secretly be mad at my dad. Why would they name me Elvan? Wasn’t there a different freaking name? Yet, still I got used to my name; I even made fun of it with my dad a lot. I used to tell him that that was his ex girlfriend’s name that he couldn’t forget. He would say no, and explain me my name’s story.  I went through many interesting stories thanks to my name. When I started high school, I was registered as a female student due to an administrative misunderstanding; I had to have it changed. I was selected to represent my home city for your week organizations in the Capital city. They arranged my room with girls, it was corrected later. One day, I participated a drawing contest for a festival and it won the first place. I cannot forget the city governor’s asking: “Is this Elvan?” while he was giving me the grand prize. Luckily, prize was wrapped; I gave the price to my mom as a gift. Then I started college. I don’t even remember how many dormitories for girls called us to have me registered in their dorms. My dad used to say, “Okay, but once he is there, you cannot say no.” then he would explain I was not a girl. On the first day in college, we were supposed to be at a lecture hall for a class “Written Expressions Skills”. It was a big class; all English department’s first year students were taking the class together. No one knew each other. While waiting for the professor, some people were socializing some reading their book or keeping busy. I was sitting somewhere close to front of the class by myself. A while later Velittin who has been a close fellow at college came over.

“Hey bro! Are you sure you are the right class?” I was puzzled.

“Yeah, that’s what the schedule says.”

“Ok, but, I have the classroom list. We have been looking at the list.” Showing me the boys at the back of the hall “We all have our names in the list, I couldn’t see yours. We have been talking about you who is this fag.” He has always been pretty straightforward.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, have a look.”

“Uhmm, there I am, Elvan.”

Velittin looked at me blankly. I cannot forget that look.

“Sorry man, we couldn’t imagine that could be your name.”

He was confused; I was pretty much having another routine about my name. We have become close friends later; he called me ElvanDalton. I can tell that story another time.

When I first started college, there were not enough space at the dorms. So, I stayed at my aunt for while. I spent a few months with my aunt whom I consider my second mom, my uncle (her husband) whom I consider my second dad, and my cousin whom I consider my third brother. Once there were space openings at the dormitories, I moved to a dorm.

I had to find a solution about my name. I did not want to deal with tons of people on my name here. While thinking about what to do,  I got an idea. I was going to use a different name.

I didn’t have anything to do at my first day at the dorm. There was no one either; I spent the whole day by myself reading a book. First person I met was Necat. He asked my name when I really didn’t expect. I thought about using a different name, but I did not think about what name. As it was sudden, I replied:

“E.. Levent” I don’t know where it came from, yet that’s where my second name comes from.

Nobody knew my actual name for months at the dorm. At first I felt foreign to myself too. They would call me, I wouldn’t reply. I was becoming Elvan at school and Levent at the dorm. Later on I got used to both. I will tell how my actual name was revealed at the dorm moths after in a different story. Still, I loved both Elvan and Levent. And, actually as I live in US, Elvan is naturally became an American name. For those, who are still having hard time saying my name I added two more names. All Allen, Levy, Elvan and Levent are me. Anyone can use whichever they like; bottom line is being a human being anyways..

Stay well with love till the next story.

Levy