The Story Behind the Name

The summer after my senior year of high school, in the midst of preparing to attend the prestigious Wright State University (You haven't heard of it? It's in Dayton, Ohio) I worked at some caverns near my house. "Near" when you live in the country means within an hour of your home, in case you were wondering. In the case of these caverns, they were about 35 minutes from my house. They were, and still are, truly stunning. The other staff were mostly college students working on their summers home, and a few high school students or recent grads. There was one exception though...an older, graying gentleman by the name of Paul. Paul had a youthful side to him though--He drove a brand-new silver Rav4 with vanity plates. And there is one main reason that Paul is awesome: He was the first person to find beauty, elegance, history and rich culture in my name. Every time he addressed me, I was "Brittany: A Province in France." He would always become animated, pronouncing the words with flair but not quite attempting a French accent. In the middle of days spent trying to get the lighter to work so I could burn trash, giving tours to snide bikers or rebellious children, and trimming grass away from the walk with scissors, you can bet that put a smile on my face.

So Paul, if you're out there, thanks man. Thanks for setting me apart from Britney Spears and the other thousands of bubblegum pink teeny boppers named Brittany that spell it incorrectly. Thanks for restoring my name to its original beauty.