wHat'S iN a NamE?

“What’s in a name? Roses by any other name would smell as sweet”

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

This time around, it's not that I want to talk about literature =]

Azraei

Azmahani

Azimah

Azhari

Zawani

Aizuddin

These are my siblings name and as highlighted, mine is the only that started with the letter ‘z’. Like I care, I love it though, it complements with my dad’s name; zawani zainudin. What’s with my name? It gave me memories and this is one of it;

This happened during my high school days. It wasn’t really a high school, just an ordinary secondary school in a district about 2 hours away from home and not to mention it is compulsory for all students to stay in the dormitory provided. On the day of registration I got myself all mixed up with unusually distracting adrenaline rush, I even forgot to bring along my offer letter. God knows how trembled I was once I set my feet on the school ground. With the babbles of my mum which seemed likely not going to end, I slowly stepped towards the counter.

“Excuse me, I would like to register but unfortunately I didn’t bring the offer letter” seemed too polite for my type.

“Pardon me, how unfortunate. I’m afraid you cannot register without the offer letter. By the way, did you bring along all the information required for registration? The booklet that we posted with your offer letter” there were wrinkles on his head, probably because the day was getting hotter and I noticed he was trying to hide his tense.

“I didn’t bring that too” I said shortly as giving excuses was never really myself. He caught the stress in my face, the nerves as well. I felt like killing myself and wishing these were all just a dream.

“If that’s so, why don’t you check your name in this list and see if you really have received the letter from this school” handing the name list to me after inhaling deeply. It was the female’s name list and I started scrolling down for my name. Jumped a bit in the middle after I realized my name’s initial is ‘Z’.

None. It wasn’t there. My name was not in the list.

“My name is not in the list” I threw the words between my lips almost quietly. The atmosphere filled with silence before he finally spoke.

“I’m afraid if that’s so, I cannot let you register. We have to consider you haven’t received any offer and you are not the student of this school!” my lips parted and I felt my cheeks burning. Not the students of this school, I repeated from the corner of my thoughts. Just about my tear to fall I heard my mum called my name.

“Za!” we both turned to her, my heartbeat hadn’t stopped accelerating.

“I found your name, here” mum was pointing to another name list and guess what. It was the male’s name list. What the heck! Does Zawani Zainudin sound anything near to a boy’s name?

You decide (winks)