Queenie is the Only Acceptable Change to My Name!

Daily writing prompt

If you had to change your name, what would your new name be?

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We took an Uber back to our daughter’s house in Porto, Portugal on Wednesday, because we had walked across the port bridge to get to the beach. I found out it was a bridge that opened about half way across, when we received a green light to cross. I have never crossed a bridge so fast.

We were both too tired for the more than 30 minute walk back after sitting in the sun for hours, and I was not getting on that bridge again, in case a ship came by and we were stuck on there, especially not after seeing pictures of the Baltimore bridge disaster earlier in the year. The grandkids related a story of being stuck on the bridge for over an hour, as a ship came into the port.

The Uber driver was a very funny guy, and when he asked if I was Regina, I said yes, and he proceeded to inform me that my name was a Portuguese name. Here the “g” is pronounced with a “h” sound, as in Rehina. It means queenly. Therefore, if I had to change my name, only Queenie would do as my new name.

I already knew that my name meant Queen, because when I visited Madrid back in 1998 alone, I went to the Royal Palace and in the basement were coffins with queens, and everyone started with Regina. At that time, I didn’t know the meaning of my name and thought that the people in Spain loved my name. Imagine my surprise to learn that I had a royal name. My husband knew when he met me, and he still tells me that I am his queen.

So, Queenie will do as a substitute, but I love bring Regina, the queen of my castle. It’s a name I am glad to possess, so I won’t be changing it.