Episode 29: Uniquely Named

Episode 29

Synchro

“What would you like?” he asked Cindy as they scanned the menus.
“Grilled barramundi with lemon pepper sauce and salad sounds good,” she answered cooly.
“The t-bone with chips and salad does too,” said Synch.
They put the menus to one side. The soft restaurant lighting caught on her curls shinning like a rash of tiny gold arcs. He felt that stupid smile on his face.
“Do you mind me asking?” She looked embarrassed. “Your name is most unusual. Is it from some exotic unknown land?”
Synch laughed out loud relieved she was aiming to forget the conversation in the car.
“No. I have a twin sister named Mesh,” he explained. “I was born first, by three minutes. My parents are car fanatics. Mum’s a motor mechanic. They thought it was clever to name us after a type of automatic gear shift, ‘synchromesh.’ We got teased a lot at school but I’ve learned to live with it.”
Cindy smiled widely. Her flush deepened.
“At least you weren’t named after a fairytale character.”
“You mean Cinderella?” he asked.
“According to my birth certificate, Cinderella Princess Chalmers. I didn’t put my full name on my resume.”
Synch bit his tongue thinking he wouldn’t either.
“I’m glad my sister and I weren’t twins. We might have been called Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee.”
“What is your sister’s name?”
“Alice after ‘Alice in Wonderland.’”
“Any brothers?” he asked.
“No, fortunately,” she said sipping her soft drink. “Mum was fond of ‘Rumplestiltskin.’” She wrinkled her nose briefly. “If I ever have kids I’ll call them something like John or Mary,” she laughed.
He laughed with her.
“My brother’s name is Conrod.”
“Unusual,” she commented.
“Also a car part,” he smiled.
He loved her smile. It did pleasant things to his insides.
The waiter appeared and took their orders.

Continued…
By Diane L Wood
Writer

My Bio: http://write-intention.com/Diane_L_Wood.html
A Short Short Story: http://easywaytowrite.19.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=9

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