[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Naming children

[Ed Sonnenburg]

How some people chose names.....


A lady walks into the welfare office, trailed by 15 kids...

WOW, the social worker exclaims, Are they ALL YOURS???
Yes, they're all mine, the tired momma sighs, having heard that question a
thousand times before.
Well, says the social worker, then you must be here to sign up. I'll need
all their names.
This one is my oldest--he's Leroy.   OK, and who's next? Well, this one's
Leroy, also.
The social worker raises an eyebrow but continues. One by one,
through the oldest four, all boys, all named Leroy.

Then she is introduced to the eldest girl, also named Leroy!
All right...I'm seeing a pattern here... Are they ALL named Leroy?
Well, yes--it's actually really convenient. When it's time for dinner, I
just yell
Leroy and they all come running. And if I need to stop the kid who's running
into
the street, I just yell 'Leroy' and the kid, whoever he is, stops in his
tracks. It's
the smartest idea I ever had, naming them all Leroy.

The social worker thinks this over for a bit, then wrinkles her forehead and
says tentatively,
But what if you just want ONE kid to come,  and not the whole bunch?

Ah, that's easy, said the mother. Then I call them by their last names.