(for my Mom, Barbara Parham: 09/19/1936 – 02/02/2016)

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Call me Ishmael.

I’ve always wanted to say that. My real name is Barry. But I’ve had others: you know, playground nicknames, pet names, mail merge screw-up names. I also get credit card offers in the mail addressed to Barry Parham III, which either means I’m missing a whole bunch of allowable tax deductions, or else I slept through one heck of a party.

Once, long ago, my Mother got an advertising piece in the mail, addressed to...