Gustavo Cruz

Mrs. Tan
A.P Literature
26 August 2014
My Name
In Old Swedish my name means staff of the gods. In English it means too long. It means
uncomfortable, it means seclusion. It is like the square root of negative 3. A lonely color. It is the
the extra credit problem at the end of a math test, unbearably complicated.
It is my fathers name and now it is mine. He is a working man too, born like me with an
urge to finish whatever we start- which is a great skill for a landscaper- but I think this is not for
me. I rather go to school than work with my hands. To finish what my parents could not.
My brother has a common name. Something I dont want. I dont want to struggle to
stand out. I prefer my nick name. Gus. Not too common. Not too unusual. Just right. My brother
can become anything. Flows with the crowd. I soar over, yet not too close to the sun.
New encounters start with their shortening of my name. Too long to try. Those that do
try are hard of hearing. They call me Gustafo or Gusstavo. In reality my name sounds bold yet
soft. Gustavo.
My name makes me unique. I say it with pride. Giving it my own meaning. One of
achievements and diplomas. Keeping my name to change the meaning given to it.