Mary Jane Candy

The story I was told by my mother, revealed I was a surprise baby. Not only was I not planned but after three boys she knew she would have another one, boy, that is.  Only having boy names ready she searched her brain for a girl name.

Mother was a Dorothy Mae, Grandma was a Lynnie Newell, so she came up with Dotty Lynn.  This would be fine if I was born with a county guitar in my hand and an ability to twain. (I have not been musically inclined at any point in my life.)

Having three older brothers, one a year older, and two more, much older 11 and 12, the 11 y. o. happen to be visiting Mom and the new baby girl in the hospital.  The subject of my name came up and when he heard Dotty Lynn, he was not totally on board with this...Thank goodness! Thank you Bob!

He happen to be eating out of a bag of "Mary Jane" candy. As he popped another one in his mouth, he said, "What about Mary Jane?"  Mom liked it and Mary Jane it was.  Mom wanted to make it a little different so she decided to spell it Merry Jayne.  The nurse came in to record my name and mother forgot to tell her the spelling she had chosen.

So Mary Jane it became until I joined a secret girls' club in 7th grade.  The president of the club decided all members had to change their name. The club members voted and said I had three choices, 1) "Red" because my hair was red,  2) "Marijuana" because that was my Spanish name and  3) "Candy" for Mary Jane candies.

I did not want Red, because I thought that was short for 'Redneck.' I did not want Marijuana because that was an illegal drug, so I picked Candy.  Years later I met my husband and he had loved the name Candace for a woman and chose to call me "Candace" and "Candy" for the past 4 decades.  Northern friends have only known me by Candy.  You know some one knows me from long ago and far away when I am called Jane or Mary Jane.

Now I know I am not my name, I am a being. (But that is another story another day.)