Sounds of a Conch shell

Kan we believe that names are not the central part of identity? 

“In ‘Kanchan’ there is a ‘can,’ as in ‘can-do,’ or ‘yes I can,’ or ‘can you help me make this better?” 

Are we capable of forgetting our names? I can’t forget my name because it no longer feels like a name but a distortion. The distortion takes apart every word, and where the “can” and “ready” have a potential to be seen, it becomes smeared with ketchup, trash cans, and toilets.

“In Kanchan Pothireddy there is also a ‘ready,’ as in ‘ready to go,’ or ‘ready to dive deeper.” 

No one remembered that. 

Chan can be chin, chen, science. But it would also serve as capable, conscientious, comfortable. Except, I don’t think I would ever feel comfortable and at ease hearing conch-in. Or ken-chin. 

“In ‘Kanchan’ there is a ‘can,’ as in ‘can-do,’ or ‘yes I can,’ or ‘can you help me make this better?” 

How the hell do you pronounce my name? 

“In Kanchan Pothireddy there is also a ‘ready,’ as in ‘ready to go,’ or ‘ready to dive deeper.” 

At least 10 different variations come up for “Kanchan.” Where I hated introducing myself to someone new because I would remember the tens of hundreds of variations that “Kanchan” became. 

I had to remember the

variation of “Kanchan” for school, 

variation of “Kanchan” at Krav, 

variation for “Kanchan” at the gym, 

variation for “Kanchan” at dance. 

I could not mess up which variation went with which location because then people want to know why someone else is saying your name differently. I also couldn’t stand my family’s questioning looks when they hear one of those “twisted” variations.

“In ‘Kanchan’ there is a ‘can,’ as in ‘can-do,’ or ‘yes I can,’ or ‘can you help me make this better?” 

“In Kanchan Pothireddy there is also a ‘ready,’ as in ‘ready to go,’ or ‘ready to dive deeper.” 

a Name, perhaps a name tells you what someone calls themselves so is that a label?

We label jars.

We label inanimate objects.

We treat people like they’re objects.

In the end, making someone else’s identity

mutated.

I didn’t realize that’s how you felt. How do you actually pronounce your name?

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I genuinely have no idea.