The Mystery Name

Greenie, that was the nickname they gave her. Unfortunately, the title itself wasn’t symbolic of her fondness for nature or unusual sense of good luck. Instead, the color of life and prosperity was twisted to symbolize her love for all things material and shiny. Some would’ve called her spoiled, others a brat. But to her close friends and family, she was the embodiment of Rachel Green. A famed personality from the 90s sitcom Friends was now the epithet of a 6-year-old little girl. How embarrassing. 

The birth of her haunting title, “Greenie” came to the limelight one October evening at a local Party City store. The family was growing restless whilst shopping for Halloween costumes, they anxiously watched the clock above as the minutes slowly ticked by. Everyone had already chosen their outfits, except for Rachael…of course.

Outside of the bleak fitting rooms, moans and groans could be heard asking questions like: “How much longer?” and, “Are we done yet?” The complaints were mostly made by her younger brother, Tanner, who was now continuously knocking on the door. Begging her to make up her mind and choose a damn costume. 

“Greenie, Greenie.” He began taunting her, repeating the nickname over and over again. 

Their mother shot him a ‘warning’ look and shook her head, “Enough of that, Tanner, stop bothering your poor sister.” She knocked on the door and politely asked Rachael to hurry up. 

Rachael hesitantly opened the door with a pouty look on her face, “Greenie?” She questioned and gave her younger brother a disgusted look, “But my favorite color is blue.”

Her brother laughed and explained that Greenie was what her mom and dad called her in secret. It was then that she learned the true origins of her nickname, however much she hated it.