A Very Embarrassing Tale of the Zeitgeist

 

All of us acquire nicknames now and then but most of them come and go, especially those from our earlier days.

But sometimes they’re not always gone for good.

I was in my favorite coffee shop with my favorite barista Julie a couple months ago, and I ordered my usual cappuccino.

"Here you go, Space Cowboy," she said nonchalantly as she handed it to me.

"Excuse me, Julie... what did you call me?"

"Space Cowboy," she laughed. "What they called you when you smoked a ton of weed – you called it dope - in your late teens and early twenties."

"But... but ..how would you know that?!"

"Oh, it's out there in the zeitgeist. Everyone knows it."

"That's so embarrassing, Julie! It was another time in my life. I was insecure."

"So what else is new? I dunno how many nice promising women you turned off being too goddamn high."

"You even know that?!"

"Yep. It's all out there. See ya, Space Cowboy."

But I had an open mic that night, so I tried to shake it off.

"Give it up for Sarah!" the host said as the previous comic left the stage. "Next up is a familiar face. Let's hear it for Captain Quaalude!"

"OMG! Dylan, what did you call me?!"

"Captain Quaalude,” he laughed. "What they called you when you downed all those ludes when you were hitting the discos in your late twenties

"But... but ..how would you know that?!"

"Zeitgeist, dude.”

"That's so embarrassing, Dylan! It was another time in my life. I was insecure."

"So what else is new?  I dunno how many nice, promising women you turned off being too goddamn high."

"You even know that?!"

"Yep. It’s all out there. Now get the fuck on with your set, Captain Quaalude!"

I had to know what else was out there. I raced home and called my friend Brian from work a few years back.

"Brian!" I practically shouted. "Everyone knows my embarrassing nicknames from when I was younger! You know me from a couple years ago. Was I called those names then?"

"Hello, Genial Underachiever," he said. "No, you weren't."

Okay. Well, at least that one doesn't involve drugs.

 I’ll take it.

What’s out there in the zeitgeist for you?

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