The Work Name

Everyone at the bar called her Ice.

Her family called her Nam.

Julian discovered this after four months and reacted as if he had uncovered a second passport.

“Why did you lie about your name?”

Nam had not considered it a lie.

Ice was short, memorable and easy to hear above music. It kept customers away from her private Facebook account and prevented drunk men from locating her family after one conversation.

It was a work name.

Julian disliked the phrase.

He had spent months insisting their relationship was different from work. Learning that he had been using the work name made him feel demoted.

“What do your friends call you?”

“Nam.”

“What should I call you?”

She considered this longer than he expected.

“Julian.”

He did not understand.

Then she showed him her phone.

His contact was saved as Julian Phuket.

There was also Julian Australia, although that Julian appeared to sell diving equipment and was sixty-three.

Julian Phuket felt injured by the qualifier.

Nam explained that she knew three Julians.

He knew only one Nam.

This imbalance seemed significant to him and completely ordinary to her.

The next night, he returned to the bar.

“Hello, Ice,” he said coldly.

She smiled professionally.

“Welcome back, Julian Phuket.”

The cashier laughed first.

By closing time, the entire bar had adopted his full name.