Random Thoughts from a Random Memory

By Edward Master

Nicknames - How do we get one? Part 1 of 2

At least two years have passed since I last addressed a favorite peeve of my spouse at the time and I quote: “Does anyone around here call anyone by his or her God-given first name?” (or something to that effect) and since she can’t defend herself anymore, the point may be moot. Anyhow, she often remarked about the common occurrence of people in northwestern Pennsylvania referring to one another using a nickname. First, women were not the exception as one may expect.

In Turkey City we had a few notable examples from the ladies. First, Mildred McCall was Moogs. Where the moniker Moogs originated is beyond me. I’m not sure even her daughters Marsha and Bonnie, Clover and Texter, respectively, may even know.

Another, possibly Moogs’ relative, Delores Best was named Warp. Don’t ask me about Warpie’s root name cause I don’t know. All I ever heard her called was Warp. I think Warp is in her eighties now, living in Florida. Warp’s family, the Watsons, sold the local store (to the Sheesleys) and moved south years ago in the 50s. Warp had an older brother, who went by a nickname of course--he was known as Babo, just like the cleanser at the time. His actual name was Daryl.

Another resident of TC, of nickname note, was a transplanted Ohioan, from Steubenville. This native from across the stateline was Paula Dee. Paula carried a nickname from childhood, Droop (short for Droopy Drawers, I was told for sagging trousers). Her son and daughter, Johnathan and Chrissy, should love seeing this in print. I recall my father laughing when telling me about Droop.

I know I’ve mentioned Bones (Best) a childhood pal of my father a few times. He was Ivan. Maybe he ended up tall and lanky at one time and became Bones. Another bud from my father’s era was Marvin Klingler, Boog. Marvin (Boog) had the distinction of parachuting into German lines during WW II on D-Day. Boog spent time in a German prison camp. This tale as relayed via my older brother Jack.

Dad lived by his nickname Harley. His dad wad E-B. My grandpa Johnson was D-A, short for David to everyone he knew around Kittanning and Armstrong County.

My father also had some cousins called Squirt and Jigs, they were Myers relatives.

There was a local from St. Pete I know little about except that he was known as Bee Bop. He road a motor scooter through Turkey City every so often.

Next up are some of my friends... my fraternity brothers which I will feature in my next column. Near and far it seems we all had a nickname like it or not.