Middle Names

George Bush, come here this instant!

George Walker Bush, come here this instant!

I've always been amused that if someone uses your middle name when they're angry, it means they're REALLY angry. It seems to be one of the most common use for a middle name, and one that we apparently learn at a very early age. This past week, my wife addressed our daughter with her first and middle names. It was done in jest, but my wife was met with a very serious-looking 4 1/2 year old: "No Mommy, you're only supposed to say that when you really mad."

Now, I was 4 1/2 years old once (a few years - ok, decades - ago), and my middle name had a few "angry-uses". In fact that's about the only times my middle name has gotten used. I've decided to change that with this first novel, hence the name "M. Edward Gilbert".

I don't really expect it to completely eliminate its angry-use ("Mark Edward, where is that draft?!"), but at least the usage will be a little more balanced.