Submitted by Glenn Harris Jr. :

According to legend, I named my grandmother Phyllis “Fifi” when I was a young child… just because Phyllis “was too hard to pronounce”. The same went for my other late grandmother Geraldine…she became “Gigi”. Since then, they both all but filed for an official name change with the US government. To this day, everyone we know calls them “Fifi” and “Gigi”. I must have made this decree no older than the age of 5, and it probably took me no more than 5 seconds to rationalize in my young head.

Nevertheless, both of these grown women adopted this dramatic life change with no hesitation. I believe at one point I even heard “Gigi” tell a doctor very late in her life, that her name was in fact “Gigi”, during a grave health situation. The best thing I can say, is that is the nature of the relationship with your grandmothers. It’s a trust unlike any others in your life. A friendship you never question.

I was blessed incredibly well when it came time to hand out family, and there is no better indication of that than Fifi, who has always encouraged me that if I’m having too much fun….have some more fun.