This short story was written by Allan Stevo, Slovakian American where he shares his oppinion about the senseless name dispute between Macedonia and Greece. Allan Stevo, writer and lecturer, has been featured in Pravda, Twin City Journal, the Chicago Tribune, and other media.
His controversial 2008 U.S. congressional campaign was the subject of a forthcoming documentary along with the subsequent case that made it to the U.S. Supreme Court this past spring. He’s received grants from the Austrian Ministry of Education, funds from the Slovak government, tutored the children of Ambassadors and CEOs and given lessons to Iraqi NGO leaders.
He is the author of 4 books of poetry and has had his work published in, has translated for, or has edited for 45 publications. He is 29 years old and is currently working on a novel.
His controversial 2008 U.S. congressional campaign was the subject of a forthcoming documentary along with the subsequent case that made it to the U.S. Supreme Court this past spring. He’s received grants from the Austrian Ministry of Education, funds from the Slovak government, tutored the children of Ambassadors and CEOs and given lessons to Iraqi NGO leaders.
He is the author of 4 books of poetry and has had his work published in, has translated for, or has edited for 45 publications. He is 29 years old and is currently working on a novel.
“Hi, my name’s Allan. Pleased to meet you.”
“You’re name’s not Allan, your name’s Fyrom.”
“Excuse me?”
“Fyrom, Fyrom’s your name. Not Allan.”
“How do you figure?”
“Well, Fyrom’s a name my friends and I came up with for you.”
“But my name’s Allan. That’s the name I’ve always had.”
“Always?”
“You’re name’s not Allan, your name’s Fyrom.”
“Excuse me?”
“Fyrom, Fyrom’s your name. Not Allan.”
“How do you figure?”
“Well, Fyrom’s a name my friends and I came up with for you.”
“But my name’s Allan. That’s the name I’ve always had.”
“Always?”
“Well, ever since I’ve been around.”
“Ok. Well, listen. Your new name is Fyrom. The name Allan’s already been taken.”
“So what if it’s taken. It’s my name. Other people can use it too.”
“Well, we don’t like it when you use it. We know somebody else called Allan and if you use it, it makes you seem like an imposter.”
“But it’s my name.”
“What is?”
“Allan.”
“Ok. Well, listen. Your new name is Fyrom. The name Allan’s already been taken.”
“So what if it’s taken. It’s my name. Other people can use it too.”
“Well, we don’t like it when you use it. We know somebody else called Allan and if you use it, it makes you seem like an imposter.”
“But it’s my name.”
“What is?”
“Allan.”
“No. Your name’s Fyrom. Allan is somebody else’s name.”
“Okay, you can call me Fyrom if you want, but my name’s still Allan.”
“No, it isn’t. It’s Fyrom.”
“How are you going to tell me what my name is?”
“That’s what I’m doing right now.”
“Okay, well you can call me that, but I’m still going to introduce myself to people as Allan.”
“Okay, you can call me Fyrom if you want, but my name’s still Allan.”
“No, it isn’t. It’s Fyrom.”
“How are you going to tell me what my name is?”
“That’s what I’m doing right now.”
“Okay, well you can call me that, but I’m still going to introduce myself to people as Allan.”
“No you won’t.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, if you do that, they’ll just sort of laugh at you uncomfortably.”
“Why?”
“Because your name’s Fyrom, and there can only be one Allan, and they will know you aren’t him.”
“What are you going to do, talk to everyone in the world and tell them my name’s not really Allan?”
“If we have to.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, if you do that, they’ll just sort of laugh at you uncomfortably.”
“Why?”
“Because your name’s Fyrom, and there can only be one Allan, and they will know you aren’t him.”
“What are you going to do, talk to everyone in the world and tell them my name’s not really Allan?”
“If we have to.”
Allan stared blankly at him. He had hoped this would be kind of a fun evening. It was his 18th birthday. Tonight meant independence at last.
“Well, I don’t care for the name Fyrom.”
“Which name would you prefer?”
“Allan.”
“Not possible.”
“Fyrom sounds weird.”
“Well, I don’t care for the name Fyrom.”
“Which name would you prefer?”
“Allan.”
“Not possible.”
“Fyrom sounds weird.”
“Pick a better name then.”
“Nope, I’m Allan.”
“Have it your way. Good luck trying to convince anyone of that.”
“Listen, I’m Allan. My parents know I’m Allan. My brothers and sisters know I’m Allan. They all call me Allan. All the most important people in my life call me Allan.”
“Yeah? When was the last time they did that?”
“I don’t know. When they walked in the door and wished me happy birthday.”
“No, none of them called you Allan. They’ve all agreed that your new name is Fyrom. We spoke to them earlier today. They just prefer not to call you Fyrom to your face because they know it will bother you. All except for that weird Swedish guy in the corner. He’s still calling you Allan. He even calls you Allan when you’re not around. He refuses to call you Fyrom.”
Allan looked over at the Swedish guy kind of uncomfortably. Allan barely even knew him. Could that really be the only person in this room still calling him Allan?
“Nope, I’m Allan.”
“Have it your way. Good luck trying to convince anyone of that.”
“Listen, I’m Allan. My parents know I’m Allan. My brothers and sisters know I’m Allan. They all call me Allan. All the most important people in my life call me Allan.”
“Yeah? When was the last time they did that?”
“I don’t know. When they walked in the door and wished me happy birthday.”
“No, none of them called you Allan. They’ve all agreed that your new name is Fyrom. We spoke to them earlier today. They just prefer not to call you Fyrom to your face because they know it will bother you. All except for that weird Swedish guy in the corner. He’s still calling you Allan. He even calls you Allan when you’re not around. He refuses to call you Fyrom.”
Allan looked over at the Swedish guy kind of uncomfortably. Allan barely even knew him. Could that really be the only person in this room still calling him Allan?
“Okay, Fyrom, I’ve gotta run. Congratulations on turning 18. Welcome to the world. You’re on your own now. I wish you all the best. And even though Fyrom’s a weird name, I appreciate you being so good about this.”
And he walked away.
