"What's In A Name"

Kathleen Beatrice Russell

Matt and Kitty were sitting in her office. He was watching Kitty fill out what he called official Long Branch papers. These were papers for the business side of the saloon. Matt watched Kitty sign her given name, Kathleen Beatrice Russell on the signature line.

"I'm so used to calling you Kitty, that I forget your given name is Kathleen Beatrice Russell," said Matt.

"I feel like I'm signing someone else's name when I write it," said Kitty, as she finished signing the last sales draft. "Even before I was born, I had the name Kathleen Beatrice Russell."

Matt and Kitty walked out of her office and sat at their favorite table. There was a pot of coffee and two cups sitting there. Kitty had asked Sam to make a pot and put it on the table for her and Matt.

"How could you have your name before you were born?" Matt asked. "Your mother didn't even know if you were going to be a boy or a girl."

"Oh my mother was convinced she was having a girl," Kitty laughed. "I remember the story my mother told me when I was nine years old. She said that when she first found out she was pregnant, she was absolutely sure it was going to be a girl. Nobody was going to change her mind. She could be pretty stubborn."

"It sounds like someone else I know," Matt stated, taking a sip of his coffee.

Kitty just rolled her eyes. "Anyway, since she was positive that she was having a girl, she concentrated on picking out a girl's name. It didn't take her long because she had her heart set on Kathleen. On my mother's side of the family, it's tradition that the first daughter's middle name be after the mother's first name. Since my mother's name is Beatrice, that's my middle name."

"I like that tradition," commented Matt.

"Is there a story behind your name?" asked Kitty, as she set her coffee cup down. "Are you named after anyone?"

"My father," Matt replied. "My name is Matthew Joseph. His first name was Joseph. It wasn't a tradition like yours. I was young when my father was gunned down and when my mother passed away shortly afterwards. But I do remember my mother saying that my father never wanted a junior. He wanted his son to have his own name. My mother wanted to honor my father through their son. That's why my middle name is after my father. Enough with my name. Let's get back to your name. How did you end up with the name Kitty?

Miss Kitty Russell

"There is actually a story behind that as well," said Kitty. She picked up the pot of coffee and refilled her glass.

"I'm all ears," said Matt. He looked at Kitty and waited for her to start.

"My mom named me Kathleen because she loved it so much," said Kitty. "The only problem was that other women around that time also really loved that name. There were a lot of Kathleens born in New Orleans around the time I was born. Most went by Kathleen. There were some that went by Kathy or Kate or even Katie. My mother didn't want to call me any of those names. If she did, then she would have made one of those names my name."

"Yeah, I can't imagine calling you one of those names," said Matt. "They just don't fit you."

"When I was five years old and started school, there were four other Kathleens in the classroom," said Kitty. "One went by Kathy, but the rest of us went by Kathleen. At first my teacher was going to call us by our first and last name. But that apparently was too tedious. Then she was going to by first initial and last name, but that seemed too informal. So, Miss Freida sent home a letter describing the situation and asking our parents an idea on how to address us in class. I was only five years old, but I can still remember giving my mom that letter and how she came up with how Miss Freida could address me."

"Well, don't keep me in suspense," said Matt eagerly.

"Haha," Kitty laughed. "My mother didn't like the names I mentioned earlier, but she did feel that the name my teacher used should start with a K. While she was thinking, I asked her if I could go outside and look at my picture book. I loved climbing up our oak tree, sitting on the lowest branch, leaning against the trunk, and looking at my books. Sometimes I would take my favorite doll, Clara, in the tree with me. When I asked her, if I could go outside and climb the tree, she told me that I was like a little kitty that loved to climb trees. After my mother said that, she knew that she wanted Miss Freida to call me Kitty. It was just supposed to be a name used in school. But here we are twenty-five years later and I still go by Kitty Russell. I don't mind the name Kathleen, but Kitty is near and dear to my heart."

"I think Kitty suits you just fine," said Matt. "Especially when you make that purring noise when we're making love." Matt finished in a whisper.

Kitty tried to glare at him, but failed miserably. "Do you want to know the name I hate the most?"

Red

Matt tried to rack his brain. He called Kitty, Kitty. He rarely used Kathleen. In the privacy of Kitty's room he would use terms of endearment, such as honey, darling, sweetheart. Matt couldn't think of any other name, so he asked. "What name is that?"

"Red," Kitty simply stated.

"Here I was trying to think of what other name you went by. I didn't even think of Red," said Matt. "Why do you hate it so much?"

"To me it's degrading," said Kitty. "I'll never forget the first time I heard it. I was a young saloon girl working at a saloon. A man came up to me and wanted me to entertain him. At first it was having a drink and talking with him, but then he wanted more. When you're a saloon girl, you usually don't give your first name. You don't give your name and the men don't give their names. It's not like you're going to be starting some deep and meaningful relationship. What would be the point in sharing names? But since I had red hair, the man I mentioned earlier called me Red. At first I didn't mind being called that, but then after a while I started hating it. I was only called that when men wanted me to pleasure them. I hated bringing men up to my room. I'm so happy Bill Pence never forced any of us girls to do that. "

"I've heard different men call you that, but I never knew it bothered you," said Matt. "I'm glad I've never called you that name."

"Me too," said Kitty. "The same goes for Doc and Chester. So anyway, I don't take men up to my room anymore, but..."

"You don't," Matt interrupted with an amused look on his face.

"I said men, not man," Kitty replied. "There is one particular man that I've taken up to my room for the past ten years."

"And he's enjoying every moment," Matt softly spoke.

"Back to what I was saying," said Kitty. "When I hear men call me Red now, it does bring back unpleasant memories. But now it seems that men who have no respect or are looking to cause trouble call me Red. It is disrespectful on their part and they don't care. I feel as though they are trying to show me they are superior to me."

Matt finished his coffee and set his cup on the table. "Kitty, I need to get back to the office, but I'm glad we had this conversation. I've known you for over ten years and I learned new things about you."

"That's what keeps relationships interesting," Kitty replied. "I would hate for ours to get boring."

"Kitty, I don't think ours could ever be described as boring," said Matt as he stood up to leave. "I'll see ya later, Kathleen Beatrice Kitty Russell."

Kitty just shook her head. She had a feeling that's the only time Matt would call her that. He was more of a simple type of man and that name was way too complex.

The End