"Uncle", "Doc", "Mr Bean" and the things they call me..

"You look like Mr Bean" the man driving the delivery truck tells me today.

The man is shorter than me, wearing shades, one side earring.  The porter laughs and says is true is true.. . 

I laugh to myself. It has been a while since anyone has called me Mr Bean. It has been interesting over the years - airport security agent in Trinidad 18 years ago, elderly woman from the Rupununi about 10 years ago, random groups of school children .. something about the diversity of people who know Mr Bean.. and who think I look like him .

"Doc" is another one I get, all the time. Some men who pass me on the road swear I have treated them. One man remembers me talking at a suicide prevention workshop. The young guy at the market who does not believe me when I tell him I am not a doctor.

"Me aint gat gray hair, don't call me Aunty" - the woman at the market tells me. I called her Aunty after she called me Uncle.   Well we can both be polite. The Uncle thing coming from people looking my age or older is coming more often now as I am conscious of feeling weaker, walking and moving slower and taking time to think of what to buy and so.  I am nervous about when people will start calling me 'Pops'.

A young man in the market calls me Brother sometimes. Other times he doesn't say much. A few years ago, a minibus conductor had called me a nerd after we had an argument. A man who rides around the neighbourhood and who I see all over the place never fails with 'Professor'. .. Professor you waiting on a bus.. Professor you went market.. 'You walking late/far professor" .. nerd graduating to professor

And many people still think I am foreign, not from Guyana.