ohn Perks was hyped up.
He had just returned home from a screening of The Empire Strikes Back and had enjoyed it immensely. It had quickly become his favorite movie of all time.
Better yet, he was due to become a father in a fortnight.
He hadn't given much thought to naming her yet, but he knew now time was running short. Now was the time to choose his daughter's name.
However, it was hard for him to think straight in his super excited state.
To burn off some energy, John rode his bike around the block twice.
Then, after returning home from the bike ride, John decided to take a bubble bath.
Bubble baths always put John in a relaxed state and stimulated his thinking.
"What should I name my daughter?" John asked himself.
Pondering this question for about five minutes in the bubbles, a few things occurred to John, and he came to his decision.
"I am going to name my daughter Sally Anne. My little girl shall be called Sally Anne Perks, " decided John after thinking it all over.
"First, " smiled John to himself, "My favorite nursery rhyme is Sally Go Round the Sun. Then there's the fact the name Sally means princess. Princess Leia is my favorite Star Wars character. And Sally Anne Perks will be my Princess. As for Anne-"
At this, John shed a few tears. While he had happier reasons for naming his daughter Sally, the story behind John bestowing the middle name of Anne upon his daughter was much sadder.
"I miss you Cousin Anne, " thought John sadly.
Just a few months prior, John's cousin of the same age as himself who was named Anne Amp had died after a long and painful battle with ALS.
John reflected on the times he and Cousin Anne would sing children's songs and nursery rhymes to each other. Sometimes, they even made up their own nursery rhymes.
John and Anne had both loved the original 1977 Star Wars film and it broke John's heart to know that Cousin Anne would never see The Empire Strikes Back.
"My daughter will bear the middle name of Anne in the loving memory of my Cousin Anne Amp, " John told himself, feeling very melancholy.
Just lying in the bubbles for another minute, something hit John at his core.
"Sally Anne Perks, " realized John, "Is the perfect name for my daughter. It's the perfect balance. Naming my daughter Sally represents the happy side of my life. I love nursery rhymes and Sally Go Round the Sun is my favorite. Princess Leia is my favorite Star Wars character, and the name Sally means Princess. Plus, my little girl will be my Princess and my sunshine. Gifting my daughter with the name of Anne, on the other hand, is a memorial, a tribute to the cousin who I shared so much with but who ceased to exist way too soon. And the names flow so well together. Sally Anne Perks is just such a nice sounding name."
As the bubbles reached the end of the line, John got out of the bath feeling content.
Sally Anne Perks was the perfect name for his daughter.
"May the force be with you, Sally Anne Perks, " said John as he stood up.