By Henrylito D. Tacio
“Your name is a golden bell hung in my heart. I would break my body to pieces to call you once by your name.”—Peter S. Beagle in The Last Unicorn
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In the tragic British play Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare wrote, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” In other words, a rose is a rose is a rose.
Novelist James Joyce once penned: “I shall write a book someday about the appropriateness of names. Geoffrey Chaucer has a ribald ring, as is proper and correct, and Alexander Pope was inevitably Alexander Pope. Colley Cibber was a silly little man without much elegance and Shelley was very Percy and very Bysshe.”
“Tigers die and leave their skins; people die and leave their names.”
I was reminded of this Japanese proverb after reading the story below:
Chicago is one of the most populated cities in the United States, along with New York and Los Angeles. Many years ago, Al Capone virtually owned this windy city. He wasn’t famous for anything heroic. In fact, he was notorious for enmeshing the city in everything from bootlegged booze and prostitution to murder.
The story is not about Capone (since you have seen his lifealready in several Hollywood movies). It’s about his lawyer nicknamed “Easy Eddie.” He was the gangster’s lawyer for a good reason. Eddie was very good! In fact, Eddie’s skill at legal maneuvering kept Big Al out of jail for a long time.
To show his appreciation, Capone paid him very well. Not only was the money big, but also, Eddie got special dividends. For instance, he and his family occupied a fenced-in mansion with live-in help and all of the conveniences of the day. The estate was so large that it filled an entire Chicago City block.
Eddie lived the high life of the Chicago mob and considered the atrocity that went on around him. The lawyer did have one soft spot, however. He had a son that he loved so much. He saw to it that his young son had clothes, cars, and a good education. Nothing was withheld. Price was no object.
And, despite his involvement with organized crime, the father even tried to teach his son right from wrong. Eddie wanted his son to be a better man than he was. Yet, with all his wealth and influence, there were two things he couldn’t give his son; he couldn’t pass on a good name or a good example.
One day, Easy Eddie reached a difficult decision. Easy Eddie wanted to rectify all the wrongs he had done. He decided he would go to the authorities and tell the truth about his infamous client. He wanted to clean up his tarnished name and offer his son some semblance of integrity. To do this, he would have to testify against Capone and he knew that the cost would be great.
So, he testified. Within the year, the lawyer’s life ended in a blaze of gunfire on a lonely Chicago street. But in his eyes, he had given his son the greatest gift he had to offer, at the greatest price he could ever pay. Police removed from his pockets a rosary, a crucifix, a religious medallion, and a poem clipped from a magazine.
The poem reads: “The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power. To tell just when the hands will stop at late or early hour. Now is the only time you own. Live, love, toil with a will. Place no faith in time. For the clock may soon be still.”
The lawyer may have died a senseless death, but he had left his son not only a name but a heroic act that would not be forgotten in the annals of history. As one proverb puts it: “From our ancestors come our names, but from our virtues our honors.”
If names hold significant importance, what occurs when you are unable to recall the name of someone who has just been introduced to you? Or the name of a classmate you have not seen in over ten years?
Recalling names involves four straightforward steps: concentrate on the introduction, repeat the name, form a visual connection, and review it later. The key to success lies in being present and engaged—when you are fully attentive, your brain is prepared to retain the information.
To excel in this process, consider employing the following strategies:
The repeat and verify technique: Upon introduction, immediately repeat the name back (for example, “It is a pleasure to meet you, Dave”). This confirms that you have heard it correctly and compels your brain to process the sound.
If the name is unusual, inquire about its spelling or origin to demonstrate genuine interest. Aim to incorporate the name naturally one to two times during your conversation to reinforce it.
The association method: Our brains excel at recalling images rather than abstract terms. When you hear a name, transform it into a vivid mental picture and link it to a unique characteristic of the person’s face.
For example, if you meet a gentleman named Raymond who wears large glasses, imagine him peering through binoculars. Alternatively, if you meet a lady named Rose, imagine a blooming rose nestled in her hair.
Review and recall: Challenge yourself with a quiz during the event or conversation. After a few minutes, assess your memory: What was his name again? Before retiring for the night, go over the names of the individuals you encountered that day to facilitate the transfer of memory from short-term to long-term storage.
Just like in my previous column, allow me to end this with another story. The lesson here is why you should remember the names of those people encountered along your journey.
In the second month of his college experience, the professor administered a surprise quiz. As a diligent student, Jonathan had easily navigated through the questions until he reached the final one: “What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?”
Surely, this must have been a prank. He had noticed the cleaning lady on several occasions. She was tall, had dark hair, and appeared to be in her 50s, but how could he possibly know her name?
Jonathan submitted his paper, leaving the last question unanswered. Just before the class concluded, one student inquired whether the final question would be included in their quiz score.
“Absolutely,” the professor replied. “Throughout your careers, you will encounter numerous individuals. Each one is important. They warrant your attention and respect, even if all you do is offer a smile and a greeting.”
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