Sunday, September 7, 2008

How Jazmin came to be, the story of a name.

There my mom was getting an ultrasound done to determine the sex of her second child. Excited, hoping to this time to be carrying a son. After sitting there in much anticipation the ultrasound tech claimed myself to be a boy! My mother was very happy she would have one of each! The months went by with my mom calling me Troy James Ford II, buying boys clothes and accessories as the days went on. On March 6th, she went to the hospital to be induced. This was the day she would meet her darling son, or so she thought. After hours of very hard labor, my mom was greeted with a 8lb 13oz baby girl! I'm sure our first meeting was bitter sweet. She was happy to have yet another beautiful daughter, but also mourned the "loss" of her son. Now she had to think of a new name. My dad also bummed that he would no longer have a son to carry on his family name, wanted me to have his name. He insisted that they still keep the name Troy James Ford II. My mom wholeheartedly disagreed (thank god!), but compromised and I was to be named Troy-Shawnda Moncheel Ford. Can you imagine...

Boy: Hey there.
Me: Hi!
Boy: I'm Bobby. What's your name?
Me: Troy-Shawnda
Boy: *puzzled*
Me: *confused*
Boy: *laughter*
Me: *tears*
Boy: *more laughter*
Me: *swift kick of justice to the groin*
Boy: *tears*
Me: *laughter*
THE END

Countless visitors stood in shock when not only my sex, but my name was revealed. My mom decided then that Troy-Shawnda was too ghetto even for her. Back to the drawing board for the two of them. Although upset, my dad came running back in with a name, "Jasmine". Mom was hesitant at first. Where did he get the name? Maybe from the actress Jasmine Guy ( his celebrity crush) from the TV show "A Different World". My mom agreed, but she had to put her own touch on the name, and that is were the spelling of my name came from. Yes the horrific spelling of my name. I always loathed the spelling of my name as a child. I could never find any personalized things with my name anywhere. I am always correcting people on the spelling.

Person: Your name?
Me: Jazmin
Person: *begins to write*
Me: *Mutters* Um with a "Z" and no "E".

It is quite annoying that people assume that all Jazmin's are spelled with an S and E. Another story for another day I suppose. I for one am just glad I was never named Troy James II, or the wonderfully hyphened, Troy-Shawnda. I have the odd feeling that I just wouldn't quite be the person I am today with either of those names.

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