Friday, July 3, 2009

Harold "Booty" Lange died...

...at age 87 of natural causes on Monday, June 29. Never heard of him? Me neither. His obituary was in the Chicago Tribune today and apparently he was quite accomplished at horseshoes. He was also a lifelong resident of Elgin, Illinois; a World War II veteran; a retired tool-and-die maker (whatever that is); and was married for 62 years and had two daughters, two grandchildren and a great-grandson. Sounds like a good life.

But what interests me is that nickname, "Booty." The article says that it was "given to him by his mother, who dressed him in booties as a baby." Really. Mr. Lange was born in 1921. He had 87 years to shake that nickname and chose not to. He must have liked it, although I can't imagine why. It's not exactly Butch or Rocky. I've heard of people giving nicknames to their newborns, but I always thought it was an odd practice. Why not just give him that name in the first place? What's the point in naming him Harold if you don't intend to call him that? Was he named after some rich uncle in the hope of inheriting some money? Did he ever go by Harold? Do you think he ever signed his name H. Booty Lange? Would he even look up if someone called him Harold? And what about his wife? Did she call him "Booty?" I can just hear her yelling to him, "Hey Booty, what do you want to drink with your dinner?" Imagine hearing that for 62 years. Do you think she called him "Booty" in the heat of passion? Was he Uncle "Booty" to his nieces and nephews, as in "I wonder if Uncle Booty will be dressing up as Santa Claus this year?" And why "Booty?" I assume his mother put diapers on him as well, maybe a bonnet once in a while. I guess it could have been worse.

Oh well. He's dead now. I'll never have the chance to ask him those questions. I could try and track down his daughters, though.

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