People think of me at the strangest times.
I received an email from a former boss of mine who I haven’t heard from in five years– haven’t worked for in about two decades. Not to be cynical, but I figured there was a reason that she thought of me all of a sudden and sent me this email. And I was right.
The first part of her message told me what she and her husband had done. Retired now. Moved to another state. Built a house on 10+ acres. Raising farm animals.
Then she explained that she had written to ask me about events that happened in a bar near where we worked– twenty years ago— when Bailey’s Irish Cream was a new and exotic drink to us. Specifically, she wanted to know if I remembered the names of any of the drinks with Bailey’s Irish Cream in them that we used to enjoy.
I could only think of two drinks, a Nutty Irishman [Bailey’s and Frangelico] and a B-52 [Bailey’s, Grand Marnier, and Kahlua], but I emailed to her what I could remember. I figured she was hosting some shindig and wanted to have some special drinks.
But I could not have been farther from the truth, as I learned when former boss emailed back and finally told me what she was really up to.
One of her alpacas, named Bailey, had just given birth. And former boss thought that it’d be fun to name her newest little girl alpaca, the daughter of Bailey, after one of those drinks we enjoyed years ago. But former boss couldn’t think of the names of any of them, so naturally she thought of me.
Well, of course. Makes perfect sense.
At first I was a bit miffed about why former boss had contacted me. But as I got thinking about it I decided that I liked my newfound title of She Who Names Alpacas. It had a certain ring to it.
So I sent former boss an email suggesting that “Bea,” a shortened form of B-52, would be a good name for an alpaca. I liked it because I figured that if I was an alpaca I’d want a respectable name– not something silly like Nutty. Me, a suburbanite, being so knowledgeable about alpacas and all….
Former boss emailed back, said that she liked the name, and promised to send photos of Bea, just as soon as she got around to taking them. Which in my estimation will be about the time Bea becomes a mother herself and former boss, needing yet another “Bailey” name, thinks of me again.
THE SPECTACLED BEAN 
You should be flattered that your former boss remembered you. You definitely made an impact on her life—and that’s a good thing! How fun to name a little alpaca. I’ve heard that they are a very gentle animal and produce wonderfully soft fur. Maybe your old boss will send you something made from Bea’s fur sometime!
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Beth, I think the impact that I made on her was how well I can hold my liquor! She was hard-drinking and I could almost keep up with her. This impressed her. 🙂
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That is such a compliment! Your memory must be astounding. I can barely remember what I had to eat or drink yesterday. 🙂
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Margaret, my memory isn’t all that great either. I remembered two of the drinks but there were more. Why she didn’t just google the topic I don’t know. Guess this was her way of saying “hi!”
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“Alpaca Namer” should go on your resume!
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Janet, I agree.
I can hear HR now: “Finally, we have a candidate that can name alpacas. Our long search for the perfect employee is over. Quick, let’s offer her the job at twice the salary.”
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This post only makes me wonder why would anyone mess up a perfectly good glass of Baileys or Grand Marnier by adding other stuff to them. Oh, and while you are making that B-52 would you please make me a scotch and ginger ale using 12 year old Macallan single malt whiskey?
PS- I wonder if she has a alpaca named “Packy.”
PPS- If she does, it shows there is not much imagination in the Alpaca naming business. You would be offered twice the salary if you applied. 😉
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la p, you make a good point. Today if I ordered Bailey’s it’d be straight on the rocks. No frou-frou drinks for me anymore. But we were young and impressionable back then…
I don’t know what her other alpacas are named. I’m kind of thinking that less involvement with her is better than more involvement with her, so I never inquired. Nice woman, good boss, but always a bit off in the clouds.
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